Migrant crisis: More than 7,000 people cross Channel since Labour came to power

The 7,000 milestone was reached this morning, after another 150 migrants crossed into UK waters in three small boats.

Those arrivals took the total number of migrants crossing the Channel to almost 1,300 in just three days this week.

Poor weather had prevented people smugglers from launching their small boats from French beaches for more than a week.

However, conditions improved on Tuesday, allowing 525 migrants to make the illegal journey in eight small boats.

Yesterday, a further 614 crossed in 11 dinghies.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has doubled down on his pledge to "smash the gangs" involved in the people smuggling trade.

• Labour DROPS plans to oppose Greenpeace court case with North Sea Oil now on the brink
• Benefits fraudster who said he struggled to walk took 'strenuous' Morrisons job
• Caribbean nation takes steps to remove late Queen from official documents

On a visit to Germany yesterday, Sir Keir said he had no regrets about scrapping the previous Government's Rwanda deterrent scheme, which he branded a gimmick.

Labour is currently in the process of recruiting an additional 100 investigators for the National Crime Agency.

The new teams will be tasked with focusing on the organised crime groups involved in cross-Channel people smuggling.

However, security sources have told GB News there has been no slowdown in the number of migrants heading for northern France, with the intention of crossing to the UK.

One source said: "From Dunkirk, through Calais and down to Boulogne, there are still thousands camped out, waiting for their turn to be called forward by the smuggling gangs.

"This is traditionally the busiest time of year, and there's every sign that trend is continuing as normal."

Efforts by French authorities to intercept smugglers before they can assemble and launch their boats have led to a sharp increase in violent attacks against the police.

In the latest incident, a French police officer was injured after colleagues stopped a smuggler's vehicle full of lifejackets and other marine equipment.

The incident near Boulogne in the early hours of Wednesday, sparked significant disorder, with a large group of migrants attacking police and throwing missiles at them.

The French clashes come as human rights groups condemned Spanish police for ramming and partially sinking a migrant boat in the Mediterranean.

The incident, which was caught on camera, happened near the Spanish exclave city of Melilla, which borders Morocco, along the north African coast.

The footage showed the more powerful Guardia Civil patrol boat manoeuvring at speed to cut off the smaller migrant Zodiac inflatable, which appeared to be attempting to evade the police launch.

At one point, the Guardia Civil vessel collided with the top of the migrant boat.

Four people onboard that boat had to be rescued, but only one migrant was slightly injured.

Responding to the latest migrant arrivals across the English Channel, a Home Office spokesperson said: "We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk.

"The new Government is taking steps to boost our border security, setting up a new Border Security Command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas, to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit."