PM Burnham pledges to tackle small boat crossings
Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to be relentless in tackling small boat crossings, noting that crossings are down but he is not complacent.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to be "relentless" in tackling small boat crossings, during his first extensive comments on immigration since taking office. Speaking during a visit to Dover, he said the number of crossings is down significantly compared with the same period last year, but he is not complacent.
Mr Burnham said the public do not like the idea that the border looks uncontrolled, and that the government needs to bring back control while offering support to those who genuinely need it. He said the approach is changing, with building blocks being put in place, and that it is working but there is more to be done.
Figures cited by the BBC show that 2,057 migrants have arrived since Mr Burnham became Prime Minister on July 20th. The provisional total for this year is 14,526, compared with 25,436 by the same point last year, a drop of 43%. ITV News reported a slightly different figure of 14,200, down 44% on last year. The Home Office has also announced the closure of 13 more asylum hotels, bringing the total shut this year to 44, with 160 still in use.
The Prime Minister's comments come as the government faces pressure from opposition parties. The Conservatives argue that more fundamental change is needed, including a deterrent, and say that more than 2,000 people have arrived since Mr Burnham took office. Reform UK is expected to announce plans to deploy the Royal Navy to intercept all migrant boats and return them to France or Belgium. The Liberal Democrats have called for closer work with European allies, while the Green Party expressed disappointment at the tone.
Mr Burnham also addressed the issue of where asylum seekers are housed. He said it cannot be the case that only the poorest communities receive all the dispersal of refugees and asylum seekers, and that all parts of the country need to play their part. This has sparked debate, particularly in the village of Piddington in Oxfordshire, where residents are opposing plans to house up to 1,200 asylum seekers at a former MOD depot. Some residents have even suggested holding a referendum on leaving the UK.
The Prime Minister also said he had exchanged messages with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez about the crisis in the Spanish territory of Ceuta, where thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco. He said the government is focused on dealing with the issue rather than playing politics with it.
Charities have warned that successive governments have failed to invest in safe pathways for migrants, and that more legal routes are needed to prevent deaths in the Channel. The government says it is increasing enforcement activity, with a doubling of National Crime Agency officers dedicated to tackling people smuggling gangs.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crossings are down by about 45% compared to the same time last year. | · | |||||
| In the two weeks since Starmer became PM, over 2,000 people crossed the Channel, slightly more than in the same period last year. | · | |||||
| Nigel Farage will announce that under a Reform UK government the Royal Navy would be deployed to intercept all migrant boats. | · | · | · | |||
| The Home Office closed 13 more migrant hotels, bringing the total to 44 this year. | · | · | · | |||
| Andy Burnham exchanged messages with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez about the crisis in Ceuta. | · | · | · | · | ||
| Andy Burnham pledged to be relentless in tackling small boat crossings. | · | · | · | · | ||
| Burnham said asylum seekers should be accommodated across all parts of the country, including middle class areas. | · | · | · | · | ||
| The government is seeking to extend the use of military sites including Crobra and Wethersfield. | · | · | · | · | ||
| Border Security and Asylum Minister Anna Turley said the government wants all communities to do their fair share. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Burnham reappointed Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary, indicating continuity with Starmer's approach. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Burnham refused to rule out more small boat crossings before the next general election. | · | · | · | · | · | |
| Burnham said the France deal reduced the number of small boat crossings. | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West focused on the Prime Minister's visit to Dover and the political analysis around it, with chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman providing context on the significance of these first extensive comments. The channel highlighted the drop in crossings and the reactions from other parties, including Reform UK's planned announcement on the Royal Navy.
- “The Prime Minister has pledged to be relentless in tackling small boat crossings by migrants”
- “It's working but there's more to be done.”
GB News gave extensive coverage to the Prime Minister's comments, but with a strong focus on the controversy over housing asylum seekers in middle-class areas and the Piddington campaign. The channel's tone was critical, framing the PM's remarks as a 'middle class HMO time bomb' and questioning his ability to stop the boats. It also covered the closure of asylum hotels and the Ceuta crisis.
- “The Prime Minister has vowed to be relentless in tackling the number of migrants crossing the English Channel on small boats”
- “Could this be Andy Burnham's middle class HMO time bomb?”
ITV1 focused on the Prime Minister's pledge and the numbers, but also highlighted the recent increase in crossings since he took office and the deaths in the Channel. The report included criticism from the Conservatives and charities, and questioned whether the PM's rhetoric will be matched by results.
- “The Prime Minister has pledged to be relentless in tackling small boat crossings from France.”
- “His critics will be watching closely to see whether his tough rhetoric will be matched with tangible results.”
BBC NEWS provided a concise summary of the PM's visit and the numbers, with Henry Zeffman's analysis. It also reported on Reform UK's planned announcement on the Royal Navy and the PM's contact with Spain over Ceuta.
- “The Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to be relentless in tackling small boat crossings by migrants.”
Sky News focused on the closure of asylum hotels and the government's policy on housing asylum seekers, including the fair share comments from the Border Security and Asylum Minister. It did not directly cover the PM's Dover visit in the provided transcript.
- “The Home Office says a further 13 asylum hotels have now been closed and returned to the local community.”
5 News focused on the local impact of the asylum hotel closures and the planned use of military sites, particularly the Piddington controversy. It highlighted residents' opposition and the PM's suggestion that wealthier areas should take more asylum seekers.
- “The government has promised to end the policy today, announcing the closure of 13 more asylum hotels.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.