UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – UK Defence Secretary John Healey warned Britain lost control of borders amid rising migrant crossings, urging France to act against smugglers.
As reported by Sky News, John Healey called the recent migration crisis “pretty shocking,” highlighting serious concerns over border control.
What did John Healey say about the UK border crisis and asylum chaos?
John Healey said the previous Tory government left the UK’s asylum system in chaos, resulting in record immigration figures his government now must address.
He stated,
“Truth is, Britain’s lost control of its borders over the last five years, and the last government last year left an asylum system in chaos and record levels of immigration.”
Mr Healey described the inability of French police to intercept boats in shallow waters as a “serious concern,” adding,
“We saw the smugglers launching elsewhere and coming around like a taxi to pick them up.”
He said the UK is pushing France to implement new guidelines to enable intervention.
The defence secretary stated,
“They’re not doing it, but for the first time in years, for the first time, we’ve got the level of cooperation needed.”
Mr Healey added,
“We’ve got the agreement that they will change the way they work, and our concentration now is to push them to get that into operation so they can intercept these smugglers and stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore.”
French authorities escort migrant boats heading to the UK
Hundreds of migrants crossed the Channel on Saturday, officials reported.
At a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, French police watched migrants, including children, boarding small boats in shallow waters.
The boats were being escorted by officials as they made their way towards the UK.
Referring to this situation, Mr Healey said, “Pretty shocking, those scenes yesterday.”
New Home Office data shows France’s migrant interceptions in the Channel have dropped, despite a £480m deal with the UK to stop crossings.
French officers have stopped just over 38% of asylum seekers in small boats, while 13,167 migrants have reached the UK by boat this year. The figures show 45% stopped last year and 47% in 2023.
What did John Healey say about the future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent?
When asked about plans to deploy tactical nukes on fighter jets, Mr Healey declined to speculate, saying,
“This deal tomorrow will set out the new threats we face on the specifics of that story.”
He said, “For nearly 70 years, our UK nuclear deterrent has been the guarantor of our UK security. [It] is what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin fears most. The threats that we face in the future mean that we will always have to do what we need to defend the country.”
Mr Healey reiterated the government’s plans to reach its 2.5% defence budget goal in 2023, three years ahead of expectations.
He stated,
“That is enough to deliver the vision that sets out tomorrow. And that vision is a transformation of Britain’s armed forces. It’s a transformation of our industrial base so that we get a defence dividend from the defence investment that brings jobs right across Britain.”
Key statistics on illegal migration in the UK
Small boat crossings (2025)
- 8,064 migrants arrived via small boats in the first four months of 2025, surpassing the previous record of 7,567 for the same period in 2024
- The highest single-day crossing in 2025 saw 656 arrivals on day
Small boat arrivals (2024)
- 36,816 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats in 2024
- Since 2018, over 150,000 people have arrived via this route
Asylum claims (2024-2025)
- 108,130 asylum claims were made in 2024—the highest since records began in 1979
- In the year ending March 2025, 109,000 asylum claims were lodged, with 32% linked to small boat arrivals
Deaths during crossings
- At least 78 migrants died attempting to cross the Channel in 2024, the deadliest year on record.
- Since 2018, 225+ lives have been lost in these attempts.