Small boat crossings continue to decline as the number of arrivals in the UK hit a five-year low.
Ever since coming into power in 2024, the Labour government has made dealing with the number of migrants and asylum seekers arriving in the UK on small boats one of its key priorities.
It has since become one of Labour’s most obvious successes. The number of arrivals has by almost any measure declined over the last two years.
This year, small boat crossings hit a seven-year low for the summer, whilst in September arrivals hit a four-year low for that stage of the year.
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Now, yet more evidence has been published showing the progress Labour is making on the issue.
According to data collated by journalist and Times columnist Fraser Nelson, the cumulative 12-month total for small boat arrivals is now at a five-year low.
In the 12 months to 25 October 2026, 25,453 people arrived in the UK in small boats, the lowest total since November 2021.
This is also down almost half compared to when arrivals were at their peak exactly four years ago at the end of October 2022.
Whilst prime minister Andy Burnham and home secretary Shabana Mahmood would be the first to acknowledge that plenty of work still needs to be done, there is a clear downwards trajectory with the numbers.
Of course, you’re unlikely to hear any right-wing or anti-migrant voices acknowledging the progress being made.
But perhaps that’s because it’s not in their interest for the numbers to come down, so they can keep shouting about small boats.