Conservative response to the Prime Minister admitting defeat on Channel crossings

Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, said:

“Starmer is right, under his watch, the Channel crisis is spiralling out of control. 2025 is so far the worst year on record with over 16,000 illegal crossings already this year – 42 per cent more than last year.

“And what's Labour's answer? To ask the British taxpayer to foot the bill for their accommodation or to pay half a billion pounds for the French to wave the boats off and do next to nothing to prevent Channel crossings.

“The gangs are laughing, the boats keep coming, and Labour's response is to form another taskforce and hold a summit. It's weak and it's embarrassing.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• There have been over 16,000 small boat crossings this year, making 2025 the worst year on record so far (Home Office, Accredited Official Statistics, accessed 17 June 2025, link).

• The Government's own figures show they still plan to spend £2.5 billion in 2028-29 on asylum seekers – most of whom are illegal immigrants. Labour have allocated to spend a total £20.6 billion on Home Office Departmental Expenditure Limit and £18.1 billion excluding the asylum forecast, meaning £2.5 billion in 2028-29 will be spent on asylum seekers (HMT, Spending Review 2025, 11 June 2025, link).

• The number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels is still higher than when the Conservative Government left office. The number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels by 31 March 2025 was 32,345. The number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels by June 2024 was 29,585 (Home Office, Accredited Official Statistics, 22 May 2025, link).