There have been no migrant Channel crossings this Christmas, for the primary time since data started 5 years in the past.
No Channel crossings passed off on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day this yr, based on the Home Office.
It means there have now been 10 consecutive days with none arrivals recorded.
Poor climate circumstances are more likely to be contributing to the pause in exercise.
Writing on X, Home Secretary James Cleverly mentioned: “There were no small boat arrivals over Christmas for the first time since they started in 2018.
“Last evening, our Border Force officers and their French companions labored collectively to cease a ship launching on the seashores.
“They’ve played a crucial role in cutting crossings by 35%.”
Earlier this yr, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak put tackling the surge in small boat crossings on the prime of his to-do listing, pledging to move a brand new legislation to “detain” and “swiftly remove” any migrants who arrived.
The newest journey, on 16 December, noticed only one boat carrying 55 folks make the journey to the UK from France.
Last yr, 90 arrivals had been recorded on Christmas Day, with none on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day.
It was an analogous sample in 2021, with 67 arrivals on 25 December however none on 24 or 26 December.
Both 2020 and 2019 noticed no motion on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, however there have been crossings on Boxing Day, with seven and 49 arrivals respectively.
In 2018, there have been no arrivals on Christmas Eve, 45 on Christmas Day and three on Boxing Day.
The variety of crossings this yr is 36% down in comparison with this time final yr, with the provisional complete for 2023 nonetheless decrease than 30,000, PA information company evaluation reveals.
In 2022, a document 45,774 folks arrived within the UK after making the journey, however this yr’s complete up to now stands at 29,437.
Last week, Rishi Sunak mentioned there was no “firm date” for assembly his pledge to “stop the boats” when dealing with questions from MPs.
Appearing earlier than the Commons Liaison Committee, he was additionally unable to say when he would clear the backlog of asylum claims, which stood at 109,442 instances on the finish of November.
Mr Sunak pledged to clear the backlog of so-called “legacy” instances, these made earlier than 28 June 2022, by the tip of 2023.
The “legacy” backlog has fallen by almost three-quarters since June 2023, reaching 18,366 by the tip of November.
Asked whether or not he would meet his pledge, Mr Sunak mentioned: “We’re not at the end of the year yet, so the final statistics haven’t been published, but we are making very good progress.”
The remainder of the backlog – these purposes made on or after 28 June 2022 – continues to rise, reaching 91,076 on the finish of November.
Asked when the general backlog could be cleared, the prime minister declined to provide a date, saying: “We haven’t set a target for that publicly but obviously the priority was clearing the initial legacy asylum backlog.”
Earlier this month, Mr Sunak survived a crunch vote on his plan to deport migrants to Rwanda, with the invoice as a result of return to the Commons subsequent yr.
Source: information.sky.com”