ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - More than 700 migrants crossed the English Channel to the United Kingdom on Saturday, ending a four-week halt in small boat crossings caused by poor weather conditions, according to figures released by the UK Home Office.
The Home Office said that on December 13, 11 boats carrying a total of 737 people made the crossing from northern France to the southern coast of England. The latest arrivals bring the total number of migrants who have reached the UK by small boat this year to 40,029.
This figure surpasses the entire total recorded last year, when 36,816 people made the journey.
Officials noted that the recent pause in crossings, which lasted 28 days, was the longest such period in the past seven years. No boats were recorded reaching the UK during that time, with adverse weather cited as the main reason for the halt.
"The number of small boat crossings are shameful and the British people deserve better," the Home Office said on Friday, adding that the government is taking action against the crossings. "We have removed almost 50,000 people who were here illegally, and our historic deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back," it added.
Among the migrants are individuals from the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, who seek to escape endless crises of lack of employment, political instability, and corruption by joining thousands of others from scores of countries taking perilous routes to Europe.
The UK is a popular destination for many people, but crossing the English Channel is dangerous and sometimes deadly.
In August, Britain and Iraq signed a new migration agreement in London aimed at speeding up the return of Iraqis without legal permission to stay in the UK, as part of broader efforts to curb small boat crossings and strengthen border security.
The “agreement aims to further deter small boat arrivals, while supporting the UK Government’s wider commitment to restore order to the asylum system and recognising the Government of Iraq’s significant work to provide reintegration support to those returned,” read a statement from the Home Office.
Small boat crossings across the Channel have become a major political issue in the UK, drawing intense public and media attention. The issue has also boosted support for the Reform UK party, led by anti-immigration politician Nigel Farage.
“The Home Secretary has announced the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in decades, removing the incentives that bring illegal migrants to the UK and scaling up the return of those with no right to be here,” said the Home Office.
Recent opinion polls show the Reform Party performing strongly, with several surveys placing it ahead of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.
On Friday, the party announced that it has become the largest political party in Britain, surpassing Labour, whose membership is reported to have fallen below 250,000.
Nigel Farage’s party reports having over 270,000 members, according to the live tracker displayed on its official website on Monday.