Dozens of migrants have been picked up in the English Channel after it was revealed the number of arrivals in the UK since January has now topped 5,000.
The latest arrivals included toddlers who, if unaccompanied, will be relocated to other local authorities by the Home Office after Kent County Council said it could not accept anymore unaccompanied asylum seeking children from Monday.
The Home Office is yet to confirm exactly how many people have made the treacherous 21-mile trip across the world’s busiest shipping lanes today.
It comes after 80 migrants were intercepted, taking the total to arrive this year to 5,087.
Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke called for ‘more robust deterrents’ to ensure migrants crossing the Channel by small boat know ‘they have no chance of breaking into Britain in this way’.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘Criminal gangs are putting profits before people’s lives through these dangerous and unnecessary crossings.
‘Almost 5,000 people have been prevented from making the dangerous crossing so far this year and we are cracking down on the despicable criminal gangs behind people smuggling.
‘Inaction is not an option whilst people are dying. The Government is bringing legislation forward through our New Plan for Immigration which will break the business model of these heinous people smuggling networks and save lives.’
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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