Over 25,000 migrants have crossed the channel in small boats since Rishi Sunak became PM

MORE than 25,000 migrants have now crossed the channel in small boats since Rishi Sunak became PM.

The milestone, ten months after he took office, is a blow to his “stop the boats” pledge.

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More than 25,000 migrants have now crossed the channel in small boats since Rishi Sunak became PM[/caption]

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The milestone, ten months after he took office, is a blow to his ‘stop the boats’ pledge[/caption]

Mr Sunak had announced at the start of the year that ending the perilous journeys was one of his five priorities.

But the latest damning landmark for the PM was reached on Friday when 144 more arrived in small boats.

It comes after legionella forced migrants to be evacuated from the Bibby Stockholm barge and six people drowned when a small boat capsized in the Channel.

Ministers are appealing a Court of Appeal decision blocking their plan to send migrants to Rwanda, which they hope will act as a deterrent to crossings.

The legal battle has also led to pressure on the PM from Tory MPs to quit the European Court of Human Rights.

Labour’s Shadow Immigration Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “Rishi Sunak has fundamentally failed to get a grip and crossings are rocketing on his watch.

“It’s time for a different approach.”

The Tories hit back, saying: “Sir Keir Starmer and his fellow lefty lawyers oppose any and every practical measure to stop the boats.”