Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing immediate political backlash after more than 500 migrants crossed the English Channel during his first week in power. The surge was highlighted by a record-breaking 12-meter vessel carrying 165 people,prompting calls for stricter border controls from across the political spectrum.
The 165-person 'mega dinghy' and the new crossing record
A single 12-meter vessel, described as a "mega dinghy ," recently carried 165 individuals across the English Channel, setting a new rceord for a single crossing. According to the report,this figure surpasses the previous high of 128 people on one boat. The scale of the arrival was part of a larger Thursday flotilla of three boats that averaged 122 people per vessel .
Critics have quickly branded these arrivals as "Burnham's boats," using the dramatic imagery to challenge the new Prime Minister's authority. The timing of these arrivals coincided with Andy Burnham's launch of the "No10 North" initiative in Manchester, which opponents have dismissed as a political gimmick designed to distract from the border crisis.
Nigel Farage and Chris Philp target 'Open borders Burnham'
The surge in arrivals has provided significant ammunition for opposition leaders.. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has labeled the Prime Minister "Open borders Burnham," claiming that only his party possesses the will to stop the crossings.. Meanwhile, Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp has linked the current situation to the tenure of Keir Starmer, alleging that more illegal immigrants crossed under Starmer than any other previous prime minister.
As the report notes, Chris Philp has reiterated the Conservative Party's proposal to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The shadow home secretary argues that exiting the ECHR is the only way to implement rapid deportations within a week of a migrant's arrival on British shores.
Lord Glasman's call for Royal Navy interceptions
Pressure on Andy Burnham is not limited to the opposition; it is also mounting from within the Labour Party. lord Glasman of Blue Labour has urged the administration to adopt a more "aggressive" posture toward the French government and the crossing vessels. Specifically, Lord Glasman has suggested the deployment of the Royal Navy to physically intercept boats before they reach British waters .
This internal rift suggests that Andy Burnham may struggle to maintain party unity if he continues to remain silent on border security, an issue that consistently ranks high in voter concern polls. The tension between the Prime Minister's early policy focus and the demands of the Blue Labour wing highlights a growing ideological divide over immigration enforcement.
The 7% deportation rate and the 40% drop in arrivals
The statistical landscape of the Channel crossings presents a contradiction that Andy Burnham's administration must navigate. On one hand, total arrivals for the current year have decreased by more than 40 percent compared to the same period last year, and asylum claims have dropped by 12 percent. Since the Labour victory in July 2024, over 77,000 migrants have arrived, contributing to a total of over 200,000 since records began in 2018.
However, a critical systemic failure remains: small-boat migrants accounted for only 7 percent of all deportations last year. This low repatriation rate suggests that while the Home Office may be processing claims faster, it is struggling to actually remove those arriving via the Channel. This gap between arrival numbers and successful removals remains a primary point of contention that the current administration has yet to resolve.
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