Nigel Farage has slammed Labour’s failure to stop small boat crossings and illegal migration, as up to 500 young men were reportedly on their way across the Channel today.
In a social media video, the Reform UK leader said: “As I speak to you, nearly 500 young undocumented males are crossing the English Channel – it’s not going to stop!
“The numbers are now running at a record. Young men who come in with no documents get free housing, free healthcare, get everything, and Labour candidates – like the one standing in the by-election in Runcorn – seem to want to welcome everyone who comes.
“Well I tell you what, if you want to stop the boats, vote Reform on May 1.”
Labour’s election pledge to stop small boat crossings already appears in tatters this year, after more than 6,600 migrants have crossed the Channel in 2025.
GB News broke the story this morning, with home affairs correspondent Mark White reporting that border force vessels are “struggling to cope” with the influx.
Mr White explained that poor weather over the weekend means that a “small weather window” this morning has sparked a mass crossing attempt by people smugglers.
He told viewers: “We are told that a very significant number – potentially more than 400, maybe even 500 – of migrants are attempting to cross today.
“It’s only about an eight hour weather window before the weather closes in again, and then it’s going to be later in the week before conditions are good enough for these criminal gangs to push more small boats out.
“Every maritime patrol on the French side is now dealing with escorting these small boats over to UK waters – this is controversial of course as people say ‘why on earth aren’t the French intervening and pushing the boats back rather than just accompanying them over.”
The Border Force vessel Defender has already picked up one small boat load and is 15 minutes away from Dover harbour. The other vessels are heading to multiple sightings and picking up two boatloads at a time.
4,586 migrants crossed into Britain in March, the highest figure ever recorded in the first six months of a calendar year.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer used an immigration summit in London to urge more than 40 countries to do more to tackle smuggler supply lines and cash flows.
He wants nations to share intelligence, resources, tactics and equipment to “smash the gangs.
But Labour is coming under intense scrutiny over its “smash the gangs plan” as three of the top ten months with the most arrivals have come under Sir Keir’s premiership.
Think-tank Migration Watch has now warned that more than 60,000 migrants could cross the Channel this year in total.
Three of the top ten months with the most arrivals have come under the Labour leader’s premiership. Officials believe there have been far more “red days” – when crossings are considered likely because conditions are calmer – than in previous years.
Reform MP Lee Anderson added: “We knew 400 migrants were on their way and still did nothing to stop them. It’s a disgrace—and Labour couldn’t care less about the cost or crime this brings to our country. With advance warning, we should be deploying border forces and sending them home. Right now, we have no control over who enters Britain.
“Reform UK is the only party serious about stopping the boats. When we’re in government, the crossings will end. This is an invasion—it’s time we treated it like one.”
