Up to 2,000 migrants waiting in French camps to attempt Channel crossings

Up to 2,000 migrants including women and children are waiting in makeshift camps in northern France to cross the Channel after no small boat journeys were made over Christmas for the first time in five years.

There were no recorded small boat arrivals in the UK over Christmas for the first time since records began in 2018, thought to be largely due to extremely poor weather and sea conditions.

The last recorded arrival was on 16 December, according to Home Office data updated on Boxing Day.

Aid workers on the ground in northern France said that an unusually high number of people are currently waiting in makeshift camps to attempt to cross, with approximately 1,000 living around Calais and between 800 and 1,000 in Dunkirk.

Humanitarian organisations Utopia56 and Care4Calais claimed that poor weather was largely responsible for the reduction in boat crossings over Christmas, with winds of up to 50mph deterring many journeys.

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They also said that some migrants were continuing to attempt crossings despite the heightened risk. Maritime authorities have so far been able to stop these attempts.

Imogen Hardman, Care4Calais’s lead co-ordinator in northern France, said: “The wind speed has been up to 50mph – Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were really, really windy. The wind dropped a little but is back up to 45mph today. This is the only reason there hasn’t been any crossings as far as I’m concerned.”

Ms Hardman said there were still “higher than usual” numbers around Calais and Dunkirk. It is thought many will now stay in camps until the weather improves in spring next year, or attempt to make the dangerous journey during the winter months.

At the end of November, aid workers estimated there were up to three times as many people waiting in northern France than usual for the time of year.

Migrants waiting to cross were living in tents, which have collapsed in strong winds. The “boggy” makeshift camps are also more exposed to the elements after French police tried to deter migrants from them by felling surrounding trees, aid workers said.

Axel Gaudinat, of humanitarian organisation Utopia56, said that the weather was “really bad”, dropping below 10°C on Christmas Eve with high winds.

He said that his team had met at least two groups that had tried to cross the Channel this week despite the weather.

“[In the camps] water is everywhere as Calais is a flood-prone area,” he said. “Police evictions are continuing every 48 hours, so even with this cold, rain and wind, people have their tents, blankets and belongings seized. We still see a lot of families and young kids here.”

Despite the build up of people in northern France, the number of migrants reaching the UK in a small boat has dropped by around a third this year compared to last.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said that British and French authorities had played a crucial role in cutting crossings, with stopping small boats one of the Government’s “five pledges” to the public.

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The crossings are set to be a key issue at the next election, with Rishi Sunak determined to push on with plans to send arrivals to Rwanda despite the initial policy proposal being ruled unlawful at the UK Supreme Court in November.

Two people – a man and a woman – died while attempting the cross the Channel on consecutive days earlier this month, while two more went missing at sea.

Aid workers previously told i they feared more deaths would occur this winter without a change in the approach of the UK and France.

They argue that people will continue to cross the Channel in small boats without a change in asylum laws; currently, it is not possible to apply for asylum without being on British soil.

Nine in ten people who arrive in the UK on small boats seek asylum, according to Home Office data.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our priority is to stop the boats – and due to the work of the Small Boats Operational Command, alongside our French partners, small boat crossings are down by a third from the same point last year.

“We will do whatever is necessary to end these perilous and fatal journeys, encouraging people to seek safe and legal passage. Since 2015, over 550,000 people have done so lawfully.”

So far this year, more than 25,000 crossing attempts have been prevented by French police, who receive significant financial support from the UK Government.

Back in the UK, the Home Office has attempted to cut down the backlog of existing asylum claims by streamlining the process for those coming from countries with very high grant rates.

Mr Sunak is understood to be on track to deliver his pledge of clearing the “legacy” backlog of claims – lodged before 28 June, 2022 – by the end of the year.