A record number of migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year, according to provisional Home Office figures.

Some 4,644 have made the journey in 2024 – a record for the first three months of a calendar year.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 4,548 for January to March 2022 and had already surpassed the 3,793 arrivals in the first few months of last year.

Reacting to the figures, Labour said it was “time to get a grip and restore order to the border”.

Stephen Kinnock, shadow immigration minister, said: “Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Rishi Sunak keeps on telling the British people that small boat arrivals are coming down and his promise to stop the boats remains on track.

“Can he not see what is happening from inside his No 10 bunker, or does he think we can’t see it for ourselves?

“Either way, it’s time to get a grip and restore order to the border.”

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He said a Labour government would strengthen border security, crush smuggling gangs, clear the asylum backlog, end hotel use and set up a new returns and enforcement unit.

In its latest statement on small boat crossings, the Home Office said: “The unacceptable number of people who continue to cross the Channel demonstrates exactly why we must get flights to Rwanda off the ground as soon as possible.

“We continue to work closely with French police who are facing increasing violence and disruption on their beaches as they work tirelessly to prevent these dangerous, illegal and unnecessary journeys.

“We remain committed to building on the successes that saw arrivals drop by more than a third last year, including tougher legislation and agreements with international partners, in order to save lives and stop the boats.”

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