More than 1,100 migrants cross Channel in a week – highest so far this year
More than 1,100 migrants have crossed the Channel in the past week, a record for the year so far.
In total, 26 small boats made the journey from northern France to England between 4 April and 10 April, according to the latest Home Office statistics. Some 1,106 people crossed the perilous waters.
Last Wednesday also saw the highest number of migrants travelling across in a single day in 2023, with 492 refugees in 11 vessels.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Record-breaking week for crossings
It comes as the Italian coastguard rescued 1,200 people aboard two boats in the Mediterranean Sea over the Easter weekend.
On Tuesday, Italy declared a six-month national state of emergency to help it cope with a surge in migrants arriving on the country’s southern shores.
The number of migrants arriving in the UK over the past week is more than double the capacity of a barge the government has recently leased to house refugees.
The barge, which will be docked just off Portland in Dorset, is being hired by the Home Office from Bibby Marine and will be used from this summer.
It comes as the government is believed to be looking at further sites to accommodate migrants across the UK.
The Home Office has already announced three, including two ex-military bases and a former prison, that will be used as housing: RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire, an MoD site in Essex, and HMP Northeye, in Bexhill, East Sussex.
The barge will be docked just off Portland in Dorset
The latest figures on crossings point to what charities are describing as “unrealistic” policies by the UK government aimed at trying to deter illegal journeys.
The Rwanda deportation plan to relocate illegal migrants is still being held up pending a Court of Appeal decision this month.
Natalie Roberts, executive director for MSF in the UK, said these plans “won’t work as a deterrent policy”.
Read more:
More than 400 migrants cross Channel in one day
Suella Braverman could face legal challenge over migrant barge plan
She said: “The idea that these deterrent policies put people off, we’ve seen through long histories, our organisation has worked with refugees and migrants since we started and there are other organisations who work with refugees and migrants, and it doesn’t play into their thinking about national policies in the country that they’re aiming to get to.
“That really doesn’t play a huge factor in their choice to flee for a start, or their choice of where they are going to, so we don’t anticipate that realistically it will make any difference whatsoever.
“Putting a few hundred people on a barge is not going to make a huge difference to the numbers of people who want to claim asylum in the UK.
“An awful lot of effort and money is being put into some of these schemes which are not going to make a difference.”
This weekend also saw hundreds of migrants rescued in the Mediterranean Sea by the Italian coastguard.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
PM defends plans to house migrants on barge
Two large-scale operations to rescue 800 people in a fishing boat were launched, with another 400 refugees on another vessel.
Migrant crossings to Italy from North and East Africa have risen sharply compared with the same period last year.
That is despite attempts by the Italian right-wing coalition government to clamp down on migration.
It is predicted that both Mediterranean and Channel crossings will rise in the months ahead, above the numbers seen in 2022.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
Read more from Sky News:
Ten Reform councillors quit in protest
Liz Truss sends cease and desist letter to Starmer
As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports9 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway