The number of illegal migrants crossing the Channel into Britain passed the annual record yesterday as Priti Patel came under fire for failing to stem a steep rise in people making the journey.
The Home Office said 287 migrants reached the UK in 12 boats, taking this year’s total to 8,474, according to a Times running tally.
It means the number of people who have made the crossing in 2021 is already higher than last year’s record-breaking 8,420 crossings, with more than five months to go.
The complex migrant crisis in the Channel
Almost 1,000 have made the 21-mile journey in the past three days as smugglers took advantage of the good weather. Thousands more are expected over the next two months.
Last night Patel, the home secretary, struck a deal
