Nearly 30,000 migrants crossed Channel to UK last year

Nearly 30,000 migrants crossed the Channel to Britain in small boats in 2023, a drop of over a third from the previous year. The Conservative government, led by PM Rishi Sunak, has been facing political challenges due to the high number of unauthorized arrivals. Sunak had pledged to 'stop the boats' as one of his key promises for 2023, but the persistently high numbers could impact his chances in the upcoming general election. The government has claimed that efforts to increase border control and return deals with countries like Albania have led to a 36% reduction in small-boat arrivals.