How many migrants have arrived in the UK by crossing the English Channel by boat. London willing to give money to France to stop it

The latest British government statistics show that, since 2018, the number of migrants who have crossed the English Channel in small boats has reached over 200,000, reports AFP, taken by Agerpres.

This balance comes in the context in which the anti-immigration party Reform UK obtained significant gains in the local elections on Thursday.

The north coast of France is the main point of departure for migrants hoping to reach the British coast in small, precarious and overcrowded boats.

Approximately 70 people arrived on Friday in a single boat, according to data published on Saturday by the Ministry of the Interior. This crossing brought the total number of arrivals since 2018 to 200,013, according to authorities.

This number is calculated using official government statistics for the period 2018-2025 and provisional figures recorded since the beginning of the year.

At least 29 migrants have died at sea trying to cross by 2025, according to an AFP tally based on official French and British sources. Six other people have died this year.

Struggling Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing increasing pressure over the boat issue.

His interior minister, Shabana Mahmood, proposed a drastic reduction in refugee protection and the elimination of automatic benefits for asylum seekers.

Britain and France last month signed a new three-year deal aimed at preventing undocumented migrants from attempting the dangerous English Channel crossing.

As part of the deal, France pledged to increase its police presence on the coast by more than half to combat illegal immigration.

Great Britain, for its part, has committed to providing up to 766 million euros. However, almost a quarter of this amount will be conditional and will be paid only if the French measures prove effective.