Prime Minister Pledges 'Relentless' Action to Reduce Small Boat Crossings
The Government says it is increasing efforts to disrupt people-smuggling gangs while maintaining support for those with genuine protection needs.
By BBC News
The Prime Minister has pledged to be "relentless" in tackling small boat crossings, saying the Government is stepping up action against people-smuggling gangs while continuing to provide safe routes for those genuinely in need of protection.
Speaking during a visit to Dover, he said ministers were taking a new approach to border security by increasing enforcement activity on both sides of the English Channel and targeting the criminal networks behind illegal crossings.
The Home Office said the number of National Crime Agency officers working to disrupt people-smuggling operations has risen from 376 at the beginning of 2025 to nearly 800.
The Prime Minister said the Government wanted to "address the problem instead of politicising it", adding that many people are concerned about the perception of an uncontrolled border. He said restoring confidence in the immigration system required stronger enforcement alongside continued support for those entitled to asylum.
His comments come amid renewed political debate over illegal migration and wider European border security following recent migrant crossings into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
Official figures show that 14,128 people crossed the English Channel in small boats between 1 January and 29 July 2026, representing a 42% fall compared with the same period last year.
The Government says it will continue working with international partners to disrupt organised criminal gangs while pursuing broader measures to strengthen border security and reduce dangerous Channel crossings.