Prime Minister Andy Burnham has come under renewed political pressure over illegal Channel crossings after Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused the new government of failing to address one of Britain’s most contentious policy challenges.
The criticism followed reports that a migrant boat carrying around 165 people — described by officials as one of the largest vessels used on the route — arrived in Dover after being escorted by Border Security Command assets.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Philp said Mr Burnham had failed to address the issue either during the election campaign or since entering Downing Street earlier this week, describing the Prime Minister’s silence as “disgraceful” and arguing that immigration should be among the government’s immediate priorities.
The Conservative frontbencher also renewed calls for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), arguing that doing so would enable ministers to remove illegal arrivals more rapidly and deter future crossings.
Mr Philp said the current strategy had failed to prevent increasing numbers of migrants from attempting the dangerous journey across the English Channel, despite substantial UK funding for French border security operations.
The comments underline how migration is rapidly emerging as one of the first major political tests for Mr Burnham’s administration.
During the election campaign, Labour pledged to strengthen border security while focusing on disrupting the criminal gangs responsible for organising crossings rather than withdrawing from international human rights obligations.
Conservative figures argue that approach has yet to demonstrate tangible results, while ministers have insisted that longer-term reforms are needed to tackle organised people-smuggling networks operating across Europe.
The debate also reflects broader political divisions over how Britain should respond to irregular migration. The Conservatives continue to advocate more sweeping legal changes, including withdrawing from the ECHR, while Labour has argued that closer international cooperation and stronger enforcement offer a more sustainable solution.
With Channel crossings remaining high during the summer months, immigration is likely to remain near the top of the political agenda. For the new Prime Minister, pressure is mounting not only to articulate a clearer strategy but also to demonstrate that his government can deliver measurable progress on one of Britain’s most politically sensitive issues.
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