Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing intense political scrutiny after omitting immigration from his Downing Street maiden speech. Recent data indicates that small-boat arrivals accounted for only 7% of all UK deportations last year.
The 7% deportation gap and the 39,000-arrival surge
New figures released via a parliamentary question reveal a stark disconnect between the scale of small-boat crossings and the actual removal of those migrants. According to the report, while 39,271 individuals arrived via small boats in the year ending April, only about 2,700 of the 39,000 total voluntary and forced removals involved people from this specific route. This means small-boat arrivvals represented a tiny fraction of the total number of people being sent away from British shores.
The scale of the arrival surge is also climbing, with the 39,271 small-boat arrivals marking an increase from the 38,023 recorded in the previous financial year. despite the rise in crossings, the total number of removals—which reached approximately 39,000—was largely driven by other categories of migration rather than the high-profile Channel crossings that dominate public discourse.
Reform and Tory critics target Burnham’s maiden speech silence
Political opponents are using these statistics to frame the new Labour administration as ineffective on border control. Reform UK's home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, argued that the current approach allows illegal migrants to live at the expense of the British taxpayer. Similarly, the Conservative Party's shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, criticized Prime Minister Andy Burnham for failing to mention immigration once during his recent address at Downing Street .
This political pressure comes as the Labour government moves to distance itself from previous Conservative policies, such as the scrapped Rwanda deportation plan. As the report notes, the absence of a clear immigration platform in the Prime Minister's initial address has left a vacuum that both Reform and the Tories are eager to fill with claims that the UK is becoming a "soft touch" for illegal arrivals.
The 'one in, one out' imbalance with France
The complexities of UK-France relations are further highlighted by the "one in, one out" agreement established under the previous administration. Since Sir Keir Starmer launched this scheme with Paris last August, 1,087 arrivals have been sent to France, while 1,117 have been brought into the UK. This net increase in arrivals via the sceme complicates the government's ability to present a decisive stance on migration management.
The reliance on this deal also ties the UK's immigration success to its relationship with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). While Prime Minister Andy Burnham has previously stated that Britain should remain a member of the ECHR,critics like Chris Philp argue that leaving the convention is the only way to ensure all illegal arrivals can be effectively deported.
Will Shabana Mahmood’s ten-year residency rule deter crossings?
Significant uncertainty remains regarding how the Burnham administration will implement its long-term immigration strategy. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has suggested reforms that would double the time required for migrants to gain the legal right to remain from five years to ten years. However, there are conflicting reports regarding the finality of this policy.
Several critical questions remain unanswered by the current administration. While Mahmood has proposed the ten-year residency rule, Labour sources suggest that Prime Minister Andy Burnham may be prepared to water these measures down. Furthermore, the Home Office has yet to provide a formal response to inquiries regarding a specific, updated plan to tackle the increasing number of Channel crossings.
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