Nigel Farage has launched an early political assault on Andy Burnham’s premiership, accusing the new Prime Minister of having no credible plan to tackle illegal migration after the first small boat crossings since his arrival in Downing Street.
The Reform UK leader seized on the latest Channel arrivals to challenge Mr Burnham’s pledge to deliver a government focused on rebuilding public confidence, claiming Labour had adopted tougher language on migration without offering a clear strategy.
“I haven’t heard Mr Burnham talk once about what he’s going to do to stop dangerous young men entering our country, and I suspect the answer is nothing,” Mr Farage told GB News.
The attack marks an immediate test for the new Government, which has placed pressure on reducing the cost of living and restoring faith in public services at the centre of its agenda.
Mr Farage also targeted Mr Burnham’s recent comments about “HMO Britain”, arguing the Prime Minister was borrowing Reform’s rhetoric while failing to address the wider consequences of migration pressures on communities.
“He’s trying to use our language, but what solution is he offering?” Mr Farage said. “Under him, the HMOs will go up, not down.”
The Reform leader argued that moving migrants out of hotels and into housing could increase tensions locally, warning that communities were facing greater pressure on accommodation and public services.
His comments came as Home Office figures showed 12,469 people had crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year.
While crossings remain lower than the same period last year, Mr Farage dismissed comparisons, arguing that the scale of arrivals still represented a major challenge for Britain’s borders.
For Mr Burnham, the confrontation highlights one of the first political battles of his premiership: whether Labour can convince voters it can regain control of migration while resisting pressure from Reform on its right flank.
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