8th May 2026: Border chief resigns after failing to cut crossings, and Matt Goodwin’s book sparks debate

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CHANNEL CROSSINGS BREACH 200K MILESTONE WITH JUST 4% REMOVED

The total number of illegal migrants to have crossed the English Channel in small boats since the government began counting in 2018 has this week passed 200,000 – a population the size of York or Norwich. Of those ~200,000, just 7,612 have been deported, or about 4%. The milestone arrives as we enter the typically busy summer months, and as the government’s much-vaunted ‘one-in, one-out’ returns deal with France has returned fewer than 600 people since its launch. Is it really any wonder that so many continue to make their way illegally to Britain, when there is a 96% chance of being allowed to stay?

SIR KEIR TALKS TOUGH AT EUROPEAN SUMMIT, BUT WHERE’S THE ACTION?

The Prime Minister attended the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia on 4 May, where European leaders came up with the usual round of banal platitudes and empty promises: a “joint statement” reaffirming commitments to tackle illegal migration, accelerate returns, and crack down on people-smuggling gangs. As with previous summits, the statement contained no binding commitments, no targets and no enforcement mechanisms. Nor was there even a glimmer of deterrence. Perhaps this was why Sir Keir was keen to sign up to the vacuous document.

LOCAL ELECTIONS PUT IMMIGRATION CENTRE STAGE AS REFORM SURGES

Yesterday’s elections across England, Wales and Scotland saw immigration emerge as a decisive issue, with results showing Reform UK making dramatic gains. The message from voters is unmistakable: the public has lost patience with a government that talks tough on migration and delivers very little. Have you taken note, Sir Keir?

Our Chairman, Alp Mehmet, has written on the importance of the local election results for national immigration policy, which you can read on our website here.

This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every week as soon as it is released.

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