LABOUR’S MP for Harlow, Chris Vince has welcomed a major escalation in the Labour Government’s efforts to tackle dangerous Channel crossings and the organised criminal networks that profit from them.

The first illegal migrants to arrive in the UK via a small boat have now been detained under the government’s UK-France treaty, ratified earlier this week. This landmark agreement means that anyone entering the UK via a small boat can be detained immediately on arrival and returned to France – with the first detentions taking place yesterday lunchtime (August 6).

Under the ‘one-in, one-out’ scheme, an equal number of migrants will be eligible to come to the UK through a new route if they have not attempted an illegal crossing before. All applicants will be subject to full documentation, security vetting and eligibility checks.

This action marks the latest step in Labour’s strategy to restore control over Britain’s borders – following years of Conservative failure – with serious, coordinated interventions.

For over a decade, the Tories failed to control Britain’s borders. Channel crossings surged, people-smuggling gangs flourished, and hundreds of millions of taxpayer money was wasted on gimmicks like the failed Rwanda scheme — which cost £700 million and achieved nothing.

In contrast to the years of inaction and broken promises under the Tories – and the unworkable, unfunded policy proposals touted by Reform – the Labour government is getting on with delivering real change, targeting every aspect of the people-smuggling gangs’ business model.

Alongside deeper international cooperation, Labour has this week introduced legislation to criminalise online content that promotes illegal migration and fuels organised immigration crime. For too long, criminal gangs have been allowed to exploit social media platforms to advertise crossings and mislead vulnerable people with false promises of work and safety. Under Labour’s proposals, individuals found promoting these illegal services now face up to five years in prison.

This week, the Labour government also announced a further £100 million investment in border security. This funding will support up to 300 new National Crime Agency officers, advanced surveillance and investigative technology, and expanded operations to disrupt criminal networks across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

This investment will help to build on recent successes, including the seizure of over 600 small boats and engines, the arrest of major smuggling kingpins, and the disruption of over 350 organised immigration gangs.

Collectively, these measures form part of this government’s Plan for Change – a serious strategy which seeks to restore order to the immigration system, safeguard vulnerable individuals, and uphold the rule of law.

In its first year in office, the Labour Government has returned more than 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK – a 28% increase in returns of failed asylum seekers and a 13% increase in overall returns compared to the previous year.

Enforcement activity targeting illegal working has also been ramped up, with over 9,000 raids since July 2024, resulting in 6,410 arrests – up 48% and 51% on the previous year.

Chris Vince, Labour MP for Harlow, said:

“After years of Tory failure, Labour is stepping up to do what Conservatives wouldn’t: enforce the law, protect vulnerable people, and stop criminal gangs profiting from desperation.

“Labour’s plan targets every facet of these criminal operations. We’re backing our enforcement agencies with the tools they need and building international partnerships that work, with the first migrants to cross the Channel now detained pending their return to France. While other parties like the Tories and Farage’s Reform shout from the sidelines and have no plan, Labour is putting in the hard yards needed to secure our borders.

“Through our Plan for Change, this government is delivering the decisive action our constituents and our country have long demanded, with border security now a serious national priority, backed by credible action, investment, and international resolve.”