Since Labour came to power on 4 July 2024, more than 83,000 people have arrived in the UK via small boats across the English Channel. This figure exceeds the number of regular soldiers in the British Army, which officially stands at between 73,000 and 74,000.
Home Office figures show that, by the end of September 2026, the number of arrivals under Labour had exceeded 83,000. This equates to an average of around 100 people per day over the government’s first two years. On one day in September 2026, 781 illegal migrants arrived – the highest number since Andy Burnham took over as Prime Minister.
– Amphibious operations against the British coast
In total, over 200,000 people have arrived this way. Under the Conservative governments of 2018–2024, around 128,000 arrived. Under Labour, the rate has stabilised at a high level, but 2026 has so far seen a decline of around 40 per cent compared with the same period in 2025. The figures highlight a persistent gap between political promises to stop the boats and the actual situation at the border.
Former naval officer Chris Parry has pointed out that the majority are men of military age, and he has described the influx as ‘amphibious operations against our coastline’.
The fact that the British Army has shrunk over several decades makes the comparison politically charged. The regular forces are well below the previous target of 82,000.
‘We’ve got a government that is oblivious to the scale of the problem we face in the Channel.’
Shadow Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero Andrew Bowie MP reacts as the number of small-boat migrants who have reached the UK under Labour exceeds the size of the British Army. pic.twitter.com/PvXnKE2Q3U
— GB News (@GBNEWS) 25 September 2026
The French navy handed out lifejackets and waved illegal migrants off to England
