Immigration, both irregular and regular, was a major issue at July's general election, which brought Labour to power but also saw a breakthrough for Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform UK party.
Some 36,816 people were detected in the Channel last year, a 25 per cent increase from the 29,437 who arrived in 2023, provisional figures from the interior ministry showed.
The 2024 total, however, was still well below the record 45,774 undocumented migrants who arrived on the UK's shores in flimsy inflatable boats in 2022.
At least 76 deaths were recorded in about 20 accidents last year, making it the deadliest year for migrants who are taking ever greater risks to evade Britain's border control.
According to French officials, at least 5,800 people were rescued at sea last year and authorities prevented more than 870 attempted crossings.
Starmer has pledged to crack down on the crossings after his election win returned Labour to government after 14 years in opposition. Upon entering office, he scrapped the previous Conservative government's controversial scheme to send irregular migrants to Rwanda, branding it a "gimmick".
Denne historien er fra January 02, 2025-utgaven av Khaleej Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra January 02, 2025-utgaven av Khaleej Times.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai set for theatrical re-release
Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel's debut film, Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, will be making its way back to theatres on its 25th anniversary.
Vicky Kaushal's heartwarming note for sister-in-law Isabelle
Vicky Kaushal shared a heartfelt birthday wish for wife Katrina's sister Isabelle Kaif.
Music maestro AR Rahman turns 58
Music maestro AR Rahman celebrated his 58th birthday on January 6.
UK's Next, Tesco and Sainsbury's are festive winners
Britain's largest retailers including clothes group Next and supermarkets Tesco, Sainsbury's and Lidl were the big winners at Christmas, ahead of what is set to be a tough 2025 marked by spending restraint and tax rises.
Eurozone yields hold steady at 2-month highs as inflation jumps
Euro area bond yields traded around their highest in about two months on Tuesday, while figures from the eurozone showed inflation accelerated in December, as expected.
Nippon Steel to seek growth in US, India after blocked deal
Nippon Steel is poised to expand its operations in the US and India as it hunts for growth and protection from cheap Chinese exports after its bid for US Steel was blocked by the White House, analysts say.
Airbus faces financial bill after end-year delivery crunch
Airbus is counting the cost of last-minute financial concessions to airlines to overcome a spate of minor quality problems after scrambling to deliver a provisional 123 jets in December, industry sources said.
Bezos's Blue Origin targets Friday for orbital launch
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin will launch its first orbital rocket \"no earlier than Friday\", it said, a pivotal moment in the commercial space race currently dominated by Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Britain to make creating sexually explicit deepfakes new offence
Britain plans to criminally charge people who create and share sexually explicit deepfake images to better protect women and girls, a minister said on Tuesday.
Winter storm leaves large US region blanketed in snow, ice
A major storm system that blanketed a large swathe of the central and eastern United States in snow and ice - disrupting travel for millions and contributing to at least five deaths-was headed offshore on Monday night, forecasters said.
