People-smuggling arrests drop despite PM's pledge

Small boat crossings hit 50,000 since Labour took power

- ALICJA HAGOPIAN HOLLY BANCROFT MILLIE COOKE

People-smuggling arrests by the UK's organised crime agency have fallen under Labour, despite Sir Keir Starmer's pledge to “smash the gangs” - as the number of small boat migrants arriving since he took charge soars past 50,000.

The latest National Crime Agency (NCA) data shows 192 people were arrested for organised immigration crime in the year to April - down 16 per cent from 229 under the Tory government the previous year.

Labour has faced growing criticism over its failure to cut the number of people making the perilous crossing, with education minister and Labour peer Jacqui Smith admitting the figures were “unacceptable”.

Former Tory immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the latest arrest figures proved “it’s never been easier to be a people smuggler”, while shadow home secretary Chris Philp said they proved Sir Keir’s big talk about smashing the gangs has been an “abject failure”.

It comes as the government ramps up its efforts to tackle the issue amid growing public anger, which has sparked a series of violent protests outside migrant hotels across the country.

The prime minister has adopted a hardline approach on immigration, with a string of new measures announced, as he tries to win back voters and fend off the surge in popularity from Nigel Farage's Reform UK.

Earlier this year, Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, announced an extra £100m to tackle people-smuggling gangs, including 300 more staff at the NCA “focused on intelligence targeting crime gang members”.

And last week, Sir Keir confirmed that the first migrants had been detained under the new “one in, one out” swap deal between the UK and France - although none have yet been sent back to Europe.