Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer dey face serious gbege as over 1,000 illegal migrants cross the English Channel enter UK on Saturday, May 31 — na the highest number for one day this year.
Pictures wey come from northern France show say French police just dey look as plenty small, overloaded boats wey carry men, women and children wey wan find better life for UK dey move from their coast. British and French rescue people use 11 boats and 2 aircraft try manage the wahala, as about 18 boats manage cross the water.
Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, yarn say this one na “day of shame” for Labour government.
“Over 1,000 illegal people enter in just one day, boats full everywhere, Border Force don nearly break, even fishing boats wey no dey involved before don join. Labour don totally lose control of our borders,” na wetin Philp talk.
As e be so, the total number of people wey don cross Channel for 2025 don reach 14,600 — about 30% higher pass this same time last year. This one don break record for highest number in the first five months since dem start to record this kind tin in 2018. Security and government people dey fear say 2025 fit pass 2022 own wey be 45,755.
Criminal smuggling gangs still dey behind the movement, and dem dey overload the boats anyhow, wey dey make am dangerous. At least 78 migrants don die for the sea journey for 2024 alone, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Since 2018 reach now, at least 225 people don die trying to cross.
Prime Minister don promise say he go “scatter the gangs” wey dey behind the illegal movement, but many people dey complain say e never bring better result. Philp even talk say the way Labour cancel the Rwanda deportation plan show say dem “fail for every area.”
Government people don admit say, even though dem dey work better with French authorities and dey try stop the smugglers before dem even reach the shore, we no go see clear result until maybe 2026. The better weather wey 2025 bring also help smugglers pass, as dem get more “red days” (wey mean good days to cross) pass same time for 2024.
Defence Secretary John Healey, wey yarn with Sky News, blame the old Conservative government say na dem lose control of the borders. He talk say the system dey “scatter,” but that cooperation with France don dey better, and new rules dey come wey go help law enforcement do more.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper join mouth say the way weather dey affect this whole border matter no make sense at all. She talk say only serious international cooperation go fit break these smuggling gangs and stop this dangerous journey.
Even with all the strong grammar wey government people dey talk, the numbers wey we see on Saturday just show say UK still get big wahala to solve for illegal migration and border control.
