Migrants crossing the English Channel. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

A record 45,755 people made the crossing last year, prompting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to make small boat crossings a priority for his Government this year.

The number of migrants arriving on the south coast of England increased 500% in the past two years, but the rate of crossings has already dropped 20% this year thanks to a new government policy.

Still, some members of the Conservative Party and the public have criticized Sunak for his slow response in cracking down on illegal immigration.

According to government statistics, 28,000 people attempted to reach the UK via the English Channel last year, most of them from Iran, Iraq, Eritrea, and Syria.