This is a figure welcomed by the British government: the number of migrants who have reached the shores of the United Kingdom illegally is in sharp decline: almost 30,000 in 2023, compared to just over 45,000 in 2022. Important figures for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who has made border control one of his main objectives as perilous parliamentary elections approach for the Conservative Party.
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15,000 fewer illegal crossings in 2023: this is the figure put forward this Monday by the British Interior Ministry. An impressive drop that the conservatives in power will not fail to highlight to defend their record. How to explain this decline? Mainly through the cooperation established with Tirana which made it possible to reduce by almost 90% the number of Albanians who attempted to cross the Channel illegally.
Another agreement highlighted in London: the one signed with France last March. In exchange for a contribution of 500 million euros over three years, Paris has committed to strengthening beach surveillance and better fighting smugglers. From a British diplomatic source, we welcome a very strong spirit of cooperation and very important results in this area.
Despite this sharp decline, the number of illegal crossings remains high. As for anti-immigration policy, it is expected to become even tougher in the United Kingdom. With his sights set on the legislative elections which will take place at the end of the year at the latest, Rishi Sunak promised last month the toughest legislation ever presented to Parliament on immigration.