Yvette Cooper welcomes summer drop in small boat crossings at crisis summit (original) (raw)

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has welcomed a drop in small boat crossings over the summer at a summit on the crisis with intelligence service chiefs and the National Crime Agency

Yvette Cooper has said progress is being made

Yvette Cooper has hailed a drop in small boat crossings over the summer - saying she is "determined to go after" smuggling gangs.

The Home Secretary joined intelligence chiefs, National Crime Agency (NCA) leaders and ministers at a summit on the crisis. It comes days after 12 people - including six children and a pregnant woman - died when their boat was "ripped apart" making the dangerous journey.

Since the General Election, 8,754 people have reached the UK by small boat - less than in the same two-month period in either 2022 or 2023. Last year there were 10,247 over the same time.

Ms Cooper said: "The last two months have seen encouraging progress, with significant seizures of boats and equipment in Europe. But there is work to do, and the Border Security Command will bring all the relevant bodies together to investigate, arrest and prosecute these networks, as well as deepen our ties with key international partners."

She said that removals are being stepped up, having pledged to bring these to a five-year high within six months. Some 1,276 people have already crossed the Channel this week, bringing the total for the year so far to 22,328. This is 648 more than at the same point last year but 5,269 less than in 2022.

Dozens of crossings have been prevented, the National Crime Agency (NCA) says (

Image:

PA Wire)

Senior ministers including Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Attorney General Lord Hermer attended the summit in London. There were also representatives from the NCA, Border Force and the intelligence community.

The NCA said improved co-operation with Bulgarian authorities has led to 40 small boats and engines being intercepted in recent weeks. These could have transported up to 2,400 people across the Channel, the Home Office said.

Border security minister Dame Angela Eagle earlier said there are no plans to expand safe and legal routes for asylum seekers. She told Times Radio: "There are safe, legal routes. They are very small at the moment and we have had other safe routes in for particular people such as Ukrainians and some Afghans.

"I think the important thing is, whether there would be safe, legal routes or not in any future development, we cannot allow people-smuggling gangs to decide who comes into this country."

Asked whether the Government would expand safe, legal routes, Dame Angela said: "That's not under consideration. We have to get control of our borders.

"We cannot look the other way while people-smuggling gangs are trading in human misery, putting people's lives at risk, all to make colossal profits."