Dozens more migrants sail to UK in packed dinghy as Britain’s broken border crisis continues
DOZENS more migrants sailed to the UK on a packed dinghy yesterday as Britain’s broken borders crisis continued.
Shocking drone images captured the crowd of men taking advantage of the good weather to risk their lives on the journey from France.
The inflatable was so packed that some had to straddle the side, with many not wearing life jackets.
They were later picked up by a Border Force boat.
Some 7,228 illegal migrants have now arrived since January — a 31 per cent rise on the same period last year.
Governments in Europe are getting tougher on the issue — and PM Sir Keir Starmer is being urged to copy a German plan to cut foreign aid to countries that refuse to take migrants back.
Many nations that receive British development cash are also the source of small boat illegal immigrants, of which just three per cent have been returned since 2018.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “The German government is finally getting serious, and so must we.
“Currently our generosity is being abused.
“If foreign governments don’t co-operate with us to take back their nationals here illegally, then foreign aid should be suspended and withdrawn.
“It should be that simple. We won’t secure our borders until soft-touch Britain ends.”
Ruthless smuggling gangs have been packing more and more on to the Channel boats in recent months — with as many as 70 stuffed into a single craft.
A Home Office source said: “These criminals have attempted to smuggle migrants across by cramming them into vessels that are effectively death traps.
“They are all incredibly lucky to still be alive. Nobody should be making this dangerous crossing.
“The Labour Government is determined to take down the dangerous people smuggling gangs who prey on vulnerable people and put countless lives at risk.”
A record 82 people died making the perilous Channel crossing last year, including 14 children.
The French, under fire for not doing enough to stop boats leaving their beaches, have finally pledged to intercept them in the water.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has poured millions into a new Border Security Command to go after the smuggling networks.
The Tories say anything less than a Rwanda-style deterrent will not dissuade migrants from coming.