More than 11,000 people have travelled to the UK by small boat so far this year, after a record month in June.
In the first six months of 2023, 11,434 people were detected making the journey from France, provisional government figures show.
It includes 155 migrants who arrived in three boats on Friday, taking the total number of people making the journey in June to 3,824 people – the highest figure for that month since records began five years ago.
The figures come as Rishi Sunak faces pressure to tackle the issue almost six months after he made stopping the boats a key promise to the public on becoming prime minister.
On Monday a number of Conservative MPs on the right of the party urged Mr Sunak to reduce immigration, arguing that the current system was “too lenient”.
In a report published on Monday, MPs in the New Conservatives group put forward a 12-point plan to the prime minister, including ending the temporary visa scheme for care workers and capping the number of refugees who are allowed to settle in the UK.
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The group, which includes the party’s deputy chairman, Lee Anderson, said reducing the number of migrants coming to the country was a key part of the party’s appeal in the so-called red wall in 2019, and that the current level was having “destabilising economic and cultural consequences”.
Speaking at the launch, Tory MP Miriam Cates said: “If we, as Conservatives, are to prove that we believe in democracy, that we are committed to governing for the British people, not in spite of the British people, then we must honour our promise and dramatically cut net migration before the next election.
“A failure to keep numbers down despite a clear mandate and repeated promises, raises deep concerns about national and cultural security and sovereignty and democracy.”
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But Number 10 has already ruled out some of the group’s suggestions, with the PM’s official spokesman saying the government was “striking the right balance” with its existing plans.
The figures for June represent an increase on previous years: in June last year, 3,140 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel, up from 2,177 in 2021, 727 in 2020, 163 in 2019 and just four in June 2018.
They also follow the Office for National Statistics confirming in May that net migration rose to 606,000 in the past year – the highest figure on record – despite numerous pledges from the Conservatives in the past 13 years to bring the numbers down.
In January this year, Mr Sunak used his first major speech to set out five pledges he said would address “the people’s priorities”, including to pass new laws to stop Channel crossings.
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But last week, the prime minister’s plans hit a stumbling block after the Court of Appeal ruled that the Rwanda deportation scheme was unlawful – overturning an earlier ruling from the High Court that previously said the east African nation could be considered a “safe third country” for migrants to be sent to.
Mr Sunak said he “fundamentally disagrees” with the Court of Appeal’s ruling and that it would be appealed at the Supreme Court.
In response to the New Conservatives’ intervention, Downing Street defended its migration policy.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson said the group’s suggestion of removing care workers from the shortage occupation list – which would cut the number of people coming from abroad to work in the sector – was “not an approach we’re currently considering”.
“We know there is significant demand in the care sector for staff,” they said.
“We are boosting domestic staff… and backing that with hundreds of millions of pounds in support… there’s lots we’re doing but right now we think we’re striking the right balance.”
