Education Secretary Lucy Powell has stated there is “no single flick of a switch” to stop small boat crossings in the English Channel, as the UK recorded its highest daily total for the year so far.
A total of 781 people arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel in 10 boats on Wednesday, 23 September 2026. The figure represents a significant peak in activity during a week that has also seen security concerns raised over “uncontrolled” landings on Kent beaches.
Speaking during morning broadcast rounds, Ms Powell, who also serves as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, defended the government’s approach to border security. She emphasised that while the Border Security Command was being established to dismantle smuggling gangs, the issue could not be resolved overnight.
The record daily total follows a series of incidents where vessels reached the British coastline without being intercepted at sea. Uncontrolled landings were reported at Folkestone on Monday and at Samphire Hoe, near Dover, on Tuesday. These breaches of the usual interception protocols have prompted Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to order an urgent review by the Border Security Command into how the boats went undetected by Border Force.
To date, approximately 18,565 people have arrived via small boat crossings this year.
Current data on small boat arrivals is updated regularly by the Home Office, providing a breakdown of detections and interceptions made by the authorities.
Border Security Review
The Home Secretary’s review is expected to examine the “new tactics” reportedly being used by people smugglers to evade detection. The failure to intercept the two boats earlier this week has led to questions regarding the effectiveness of current surveillance and the deployment of Border Force assets in the Channel.
The government remains under pressure to demonstrate the impact of its Border Security Command, a key pillar of its strategy to replace the previous administration’s Rwanda plan.
While the annual figures show a downward trend, the Home Office has maintained that the situation remains “unacceptable” and that work with international partners to disrupt the supply chain of boats and engines continues.
