Labour is set to reveal its plan to address migration next week, as the number of people crossing the English Channel has surged to a new high since Sir Keir Starmer took office. Sky News reports that in the early hours of this morning, two small boats carrying dozens of migrants were intercepted in the Channel, pushing the total number of crossings since Labour won the election in July to over 20,000. These are the first crossings since November 16, bringing the total to 20,026, with official figures showing 33,562 crossings in 2023.
Government minister Pat McFadden discussed Labour’s stance on migration during an appearance on Sky News Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips. He emphasized that while the UK “will always need migration,” the focus must be on balancing immigration with training the British workforce to avoid over-reliance on foreign workers. He confirmed that Labour would not set net migration targets but would release a plan next week aimed at reducing both legal and illegal migration.
Official data released this week revealed that the UK’s net migration – the difference between those coming and leaving the country – had reached 906,000 for the year ending June 2023, the highest on record. The most recent figures, for the year to June 2024, show a 20% decrease to an estimated 728,000.
McFadden remarked that numerical migration targets had often been unsuccessful, citing former Prime Minister David Cameron’s failed pledge to reduce migration to the tens of thousands. He reiterated Labour’s commitment to tackling migration, including the establishment of a new, secure border command and a returns agreement with Iraq to increase the number of deportations. Labour’s upcoming migration plan is expected to address both legal and illegal migration.
In response, Conservative shadow minister Victoria Atkins acknowledged that net migration under the Tories had been “too high,” but claimed that the numbers had fallen by 20% this year thanks to Conservative policies. She criticized Labour for not setting a cap on immigration, although she admitted that the Conservatives have yet to finalize a plan for such a cap but would present one soon.
As the debate over migration continues, all eyes will be on Labour’s forthcoming plan to tackle the issue, with a focus on both border security and workforce development.
