London: Illegal crossings of the English Channel on the decline
In 2022, around 45,000 migrants cross the English Channel to seek refuge in the UK. Thousands fewer in 2023. For the UK's Home Secretary, this is an important success. He draws a comparison with Europe.
According to the British government, the number of refugees who illegally crossed the English Channel between France and the UK last year has fallen by a third. According to the Home Office, just under 30,000 migrants arrived on the south-east coast of England in small boats in 2023. The previous year, the number was a record 45,000 people; in 2021, around 28,500 illegal crossings were counted.
UK Home Secretary James Cleverly called the recently published figures an "important success". "While the number of illegal entries into Europe is rising, the number of people coming to the UK illegally is falling," he explained.
Immigration has long been a key political issue in the UK. It is also likely to be one of the key campaign issues in this year's general election. Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has repeatedly promised to "stop" the boats of illegal migrants.
Every year, tens of thousands of people attempt dangerous crossings in small boats across the English Channel from France to the UK. In November 2021, 27 migrants lost their lives in a boat accident. It was the worst accident of its kind on the English Channel to date.
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Source: www.ntv.de
