The chilling scenes came as the Home Office confirmed 781 migrants arrived on Wednesday, beating the previous high for this year of 752 on July 29. It means 1,085 migrants reached Britain across the Channel in the first three days of this week. The 781 arrivals were more than five times the average number seen on a 'red day' – when weather conditions and other factors make Channel crossings more likely – in the first eight months of this year.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the number of small-boat migrants to have entered Britain under Labour - at 83,279 - has now topped the number of full-time soldiers in the British Army. 'Labour has let an entire Army-sized population cross the Channel illegally,' Mr Philp said. 'More people have arrived in small boats than we have soldiers defending Britain. That is completely bonkers.