So How Exactly Will You Stop The Boats Sir Keir?

LABOUR'S lack of a plan to halt migrant small boats means "Christmas has come early" for people smugglers, say senior Tories.

- Sam Lister

• As record migrant numbers cross Channel in single day since election, we ask:

As Channel crossings rose above 1,000 since Sir Keir Starmer took power, shadow home secretary James Cleverly said: "It's like Christmas has come early for the people smugglers. And the record numbers coming over prove it.

"And they will keep getting worse because Starmer has no desire and no plan to stop the boats."

It comes after Border Force officers picked up 427 people in seven boats on Monday - the highest number in a single day since the General Election.

A total of 1,185 migrants have already arrived since Sir Keir won the keys to No 10 this month.

And Home Secretary Yvette Cooper suggested the numbers would only get worse as she warned of a "difficult summer ahead".

Sir Keir scrapped the Tories' Rwanda deportation scheme on the first day of his premiership, saying instead he would smash the peoplesmuggling gangs running the boats.

But Mr Cleverly added: "Dozens of EU leaders looked to copy the model of our Rwanda scheme.