LONDON (Reuters) – Over 10,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Britain in small boats this year, government data showed on Saturday. This poses a challenge for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before the July 4 election.
The number of people landing on England’s southern beaches fell by a third in 2023. However, the latest government website data showed 10,170 arrivals between January and May 25, up from 7,395 last year.
Sunak, who announced the election date on Wednesday, said later this week that asylum seekers who come to Britain illegally would not be deported to Rwanda before the vote – casting doubt on one of his Conservative Party’s flagship policies.
The plan has been bogged down by legal obstacles for more than two years, and the opposition Labour Party, which is about 20 points ahead in opinion polls and seen on track to end 14 years of Conservative rule, has promised to scrap the policy if it wins the election.
Labour’s shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said Sunak’s government had not done enough to tackle the issue.
“Because all the government’s efforts are now focused on getting a few hundred people flown to Rwanda, they have lost sight of the thousands more who are crossing the Channel every month,” Kinnock said in a statement.
Despite the challenges, the spirit of those arriving in the UK small boats is undeterred. Many are fleeing conflict, persecution, and extreme poverty, driven by hope for a better life. Their resilience highlights the need for a compassionate and coordinated response.
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