Following a sudden? influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, the discussion on unauthorised migration to Europe is again heightened. In the UK this means a focus on small boat crossings and the policy surrounding them, particularly following 752 arrivals on July 29 – the highest number for one day so far this year, with four deaths recorded. The UK prime minster, Andy Burnham, has announced he will be “relentless” in addressing the issue, but is this the right approach? Our experts explain the statistics and language around small boat crossings into the UK, as well as what needs to change for immigration policies to succeed.

Why small boat arrivals have declined

Mihnea Cuibus, Senior Researcher, The Migration Observatory at The University of Oxford

Small boat arrivals have declined in 2026. Around 14,000 people crossed the Channel between January and July, 43% fewer than in 2025. Approximately 30,000 people arrived by small boat in the year ending July 31 2026, one-third below the levels seen last autumn, and slightly less than when Labour took office.

The government has made several policy changes since 2024, including scrapping the previous government’s Illegal Migration Act and Rwanda scheme. It then shifted to a model of temporary protection for refugees, restricted refugee family reunion. It has scaled up existing enforcement efforts and reached a deal to return some people who arrive by small boat to France.

Some government policies may have contributed to the decline. Restrictive family reunion policies are generally associated with fewer asylum claims, and physically preventing boat departures appear to have reduced crossings elsewhere. The deal with France may deter migrants if a high share of arrivals were to be swiftly returned, though this number remains relatively low, with 4% returned between September 2025 and June 2026. Smugglers have also changed how and where they operate in response to more enforcement in France, with more departures from Belgium this year.

However, external factors may have also played a role. Unauthorised arrivals into the EU have fallen since 2025, which may ultimately lead to fewer crossings to the UK. And changes to conflict situations in origin countries, such as Syria, can also affect migrant numbers.

Britain’s relationship with the EU

Simon Usherwood, Professor of Politics & International Studies, The Open University

In his comments about the influx of migrants in Ceuta at the end of July, Andy Burnham spoke of the need for “regular dialogue with the EU”. This was interesting for several reasons.

Despite Ceuta’s distance from the UK and its very particular relationship to the rest of the Schengen area of free movement, Burnham recognised that this has taken on a Europe-wide dimension. In a letter following the border crossing incident, 22 European leaders sharply criticised the Spanish government, and prompted broader discussion about “illegal border movements”. This will bring Channel crossings back up the European agenda, which might offer opportunities for Burnham to gather more support for action from the EU.

Simultaneously, Burnham’s stance is a reflection of the very limited role that the EU currently plays in managing small boat crossings in the Channel. Competence for border controls and policing of people smuggling remains very much a matter for national governments, as seen in the recent ramping up of UK-French cooperation.

Since the UK left the EU, it no longer has access to the Dublin regulation arrangements that allowed it to return asylum seekers to other EU member states without considering their claims. Talking with the EU might sound good, but in practice it will be work with those countries on the edge of the Channel that delivers most results.

Finally, this is one of Burnham’s very first mentions of work with the EU since starting his path to Number 10. Yet, it’s an issue that isn’t an obvious priority for either side, and since the UK has little to offer the EU, we are likely to see limited progress. How this feeds into the more pressing elements of UK-EU relations – negotiations on food standards, youth mobility and the rest – will only become clear in the coming months.

Behind Burnham’s language

Erica Consterdine, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, Lancaster University

Small boat crossings have come to dominate the immigration debate, despite accounting for only a small share of overall migration. Now, they serve as a visible symbol of a government’s perceived control over the border.

Many believe these crossings are a new phenomenon and evidence of a system in crisis. In reality, irregular movement across the Channel has existed for decades. What’s changed is that tighter border controls have made other clandestine forms of irregular entry harder. Successive governments have also restricted safe and legal routes for people to seek asylum in the UK, pushing more desperate people towards dangerous sea crossings.

Conservative prime ministers politicised small boats – Boris Johnson described Channel crossings as “criminal”, while Rishi Sunak elevated “stop the boats” into a defining slogan of his government. Labour’s rhetoric under Keir Starmer differed in tone but less so in substance. Rather than stopping the boats, Starmer promised to “smash the gangs”. The target changed, but the underlying emphasis on toughness remained.

That is why Andy Burnham’s comments are notable. In his 2015 leadership bid, he followed a protectionist line, setting out plans to ban EU citizens from claiming welfare benefits until they have worked for two years, while echoing a longstanding political narrative that frames anti-immigration sentiment as a “legitimate concern”.

His re-appointment of Shabana Mahmood as home secretary follows the Blue Labour tradition that has increasingly shaped Labour’s thinking on borders, belonging and immigration.

Burnham’s rhetoric of being “relentless” in reducing crossings follows the Labour playbook. But his recognition of needing to “build a system that offers safe routes for people as well” hints at an overdue shift that is grounded in reality, rather than the fantasy of borders being simply willed shut.

The ‘taking back control’ narrative

Alex Balch, Professor of Politics, University of Liverpool

The framing of policy towards small boat crossings as “taking back control” might be seductive to politicians, but it illustrates how little the debate reflects the complexities around managing migration.

The government should be urgently responding to how many people are dying trying to cross the channel through dangerous means, and working hard to provide alternative routes and processes for people to seek protection or entry to the UK.

Governments can never fully dictate who wants to visit or live in a country. Complete and total control over national borders is not possible – or even desirable – if we want to continue to live in an open and free society. It would mean spending much more, and allowing the government to deploy high levels of somewhat indiscriminate violence, including on its own population, as seen in the US recently.

The best alternative to the ineffective (and costly) focus on trying to deter people from crossing is to commit to a more pragmatic and realistic approach to how irregular migration is better managed across Europe. This requires partnership with the non-European countries and regions that people are migrating from. Burnham’s promise to be “relentless” and “bring back that control” sounds familiar and risks the continued disregard for the needs and welfare of people moving across borders.

But the current situation does not work or adequately serve the interests of the country. Enforcement at the border and increasingly inside the country pushes people into ever more dangerous journeys and criminalises those seeking to contribute to Britain and make a better life for themselves and their families.

A different approach may not mean abandoning border controls, but having a more honest discussion about immigration. This includes the rights and dignity of those migrating, the costs of the current policies to the country, practice around detaining and deporting people, and recognising how the existing approach causes many of the harms we are witnessing.

Breaking the cycle: secure housing and the right to work

Jonathan Darling, Professor of Geography, University of Durham

Andy Burnham’s stated desire to avoid “playing politics” with asylum is a laudable one. Since 2019, successive governments have talked tough on asylum while doing little to improve the asylum system. Instead of tackling backlogs in decision-making and supporting integration, public resources have been wasted on attention-grabbing policies that punish asylum seekers.

Breaking this cycle is crucial if Britain is to have an asylum system that treats people with dignity. Burnham has reportedly considered ending the outsourcing of asylum accommodation, a system that is lucrative for private firms and costly to the taxpayer. This failed model of housing damages the lives of asylum seekers, placing them in unsafe and poor-quality accommodation, and creates community tensions through lack of engagement with residents.

Making local authorities responsible for asylum accommodation will not easily solve these issues. But empowering local authorities would mean that the asylum system benefits from the knowledge and expertise of local government on housing conditions, housing markets and social cohesion.

Where managed effectively and publicly, asylum housing can offer pathways to regeneration, the establishment of new communities and the growth of local economies. Working with devolved authorities to invest in accommodation would also align with the aims of Burnham’s wider devolution agenda.

A second positive step would be to give asylum seekers the right to work after six months in the asylum system. This would reduce costs of support on the state and would enable the economy to benefit from the skills and experience of new arrivals. The right to work would also have further benefits: tackling social isolation, improving mental health and facilitating integration.

A woman suffered minor injuries in the incident

A car was ‘set on fire’ and bricks were also thrown at a house in a Cambridgeshire city. Cambridgeshire Police were called to an incident at around 2.40am today (Friday, August 7).

Police received reports a car was on fire and there were “bricks thrown into a house” in Saxon Road, Eastfield, Peterborough.

One woman suffered minor injuries, but she didn’t receive hospital treatment. A police spokesperson said: “Police are treating the fire as arson and an investigation is ongoing. No arrests have been made at this time.”

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue also attended. A fire spokesperson said: “At 2.43am on Friday, a crew from Dogsthorpe was called to a car fire on Saxon Road in Eastfield, Peterborough.

“Wearing breathing apparatus, firefighters used a hose reel to extinguish the fire before returning to their station by 3.45am. The cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate.”

Cambridgeshire Police is appealing for information. Anyone with information should contact police online or call 101 and quote incident 33 of August 7.

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The UK is bracing for a fifth heatwave of the year, with forecasters predicting temperatures could soar to as high as 36C across 27 counties in England

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Temperatures are set to soar once again, with a fifth heatwave on the horizon and a series of health warnings issued as the mercury looks poised to climb for a sweltering weekend.

Then, heading into next week, conditions are expected to intensify further, with 27 counties anticipated to broil and push beyond 30C, according to the latest weather maps from WXCharts.com.

The latest weather maps from WXCharts.com indicate a ferocious blast of heat is forecast to scorch vast stretches of England, with temperatures surging as high as 36C.

The data suggests stifling conditions on August 13 will affect more than two dozen counties, with the most intense heat radiating from the South and South East through the Midlands and into eastern England. Across the remainder of the country, temperatures will be considerably cooler.

Scotland and Northern Ireland are largely sitting in the teens and low 20s, while western parts of Wales and northern England escape the worst of the furnace-like conditions.

Fresh heat alerts are due to take effect as the UK prepares for its fifth heatwave of the year, bringing blistering highs of 36C. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow heat health alerts for the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber and London.

The yellow heat health alerts run from 9am on Saturday to 9pm on Tuesday, cautioning that the scorching weather is likely to impact the wellbeing of the general public.

This follows the Met Office’s caution that heatwave conditions are anticipated to return to numerous parts of the UK next week, as temperatures climb throughout the weekend before rising more sharply into the middle of next week.

Weather specialists predict that temperatures could reach 36°C in parts of East Anglia and south-east England by Thursday, according to the Express.

Deputy chief forecaster Mike Silverstone said: “Temperatures will climb through the weekend and, more significantly, through much of next week. After a brief dip on Monday, high pressure will move across the UK before settling to the east, allowing a southerly flow to develop.

“A fairly widespread heatwave is likely across large parts of England and Wales, with hot conditions developing in places.

“The heat is expected to peak for much of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland on Wednesday, with up to 34°C possible in parts of central and southern England and southeast Wales.

“East Anglia and south-east England, however, could see temperatures even higher on Thursday.

“Humidity levels are also expected to increase through the week, which may make conditions feel more uncomfortable, particularly overnight.”

The agency’s long-range forecast for 12th to 21st August stated: “A mixed start is likely to this period, with some rain or showers in the north and quite breezy conditions while in the south it will be mostly dry, sunny and hot, even very hot in some places.

“Southern parts are likely to turn cooler and fresher next weekend though.”

Counties over 30C

• Bedfordshire
• Berkshire
• Buckinghamshire
• Cambridgeshire
• Devon
• Dorset
• East Sussex
• Essex
• Gloucestershire
• Greater London
• Hampshire
• Hertfordshire
• Kent
• Leicestershire
• Lincolnshire
• Norfolk
• Northamptonshire
• Oxfordshire
• Rutland
• Somerset
• Suffolk
• Surrey
• Warwickshire
• West Midlands
• West Sussex
• Wiltshire
• Worcestershire

Mehvish says nothing could have prepared her for what she was told after her full body scan. She left Birmingham’s Neko Health clinic with a life-changing diagnosis.

“I expected to feel relief,” the 33-year-old says. “Instead, I was told that I had a rare form of diabetes.”

After her long-term blood sugar levels came back very high, she had another blood test which confirmed she had suspected diabetes.

She was referred back to her GP, who sent her for an urgent hospital appointment the same day, and was diagnosed with Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA), a type of diabetes which bridges both type 1 and type 2.

Like type 1, it is an autoimmune condition that attacks the body’s pancreatic cells, but it also shares traits with type 2 because it can progress slowly and, depending on the stage of the condition, it can initially be managed with diet and exercise.

“I didn’t have any of the symptoms,” Mehvish says, “It was difficult to get my head round it – how could I have this condition and not know about it?”

But she says the early, unexpected intervention “saved my life”.

Now she injects insulin twice a day, monitors what she eats, and despite missing the spontaneity of her old life, is learning to adapt to her new one.

“I feel so much better, more clarity, less brain fog and I feel so much more balanced.”

After my own scan, I’m feeling slightly out of balance. I’ve been told I have 3,311 skin markings – compared to the average Neko Health client’s 845. Three need extra review by the company’s dermatologist in Sweden.

“But I don’t have any big moles or markings,” I say during the post-scan consultation with a doctor. It’s my freckles, I’m told, and having freckles puts me at higher risk of skin cancer.

Travellers boarding the 06:11 Lumo service from London Euston to Stirling on Friday morning were warned there were “no toilet facilities” available on board because of a fault.

In a post on X, the operator apologised and told customers: “Please do speak to our onboard staff for further advice/assistance.”

⚠️Apologies to those boarding our 06:11 service from #LondonEuston to #Stirling are advised that there are no toilet facilities on this train due to a fault.

Please do speak to our onboard staff for further advice/assistance.

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— Lumo (@LumoTravel) August 7, 2026

But the response sparked hundreds of incredulous replies, with many questioning why the train was allowed to run at all.

One passenger wrote: “Six hours, no toilet! Taking the p*** literally. Surely this train shouldn’t run.”

Another joked: “What assistance can staff provide? A bucket?”

A third added: “‘Please speak to our onboard staff’… what are they gonna do, hold it for you?”

Others questioned what advice staff could realistically offer.

One user wrote: “I’m intrigued to know what the ‘further advice/assistance’ could possibly be. Are you going to hold the train while people use the facilities at stations en route? Or are we talking buckets?”

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Another commented: “The trains without facilities should not be allowed in service.”

The post quickly attracted hundreds of thousands of views, with many saying a journey of that length should not operate without functioning toilets, particularly for children, older passengers and those with medical conditions.

Lumo said the lack of toilet facilities was due to a fault and apologised to affected customers.

Friez & Burgz, known for its smash burgers, loaded fries, milkshakes and desserts, teased the potential expansion with a photograph of St Lukes Terrace in Pallion posted on social media on Thursday, August 6.

The post, simply captioned, “Hello!”, quickly generated excitement among fans and locals.

One commented: “Been asking for this for like ever.”

Another wrote: “If Friez and Burgz are coming to Sunderland you need to try ASAP it’s unbelievable.”

Another said: “Omg finally! Sunderland! Looks like Pallion!” One other dubbed it an “absolute game-changer”.

“Omg, I’ll definately be eating dinner there while working,” insisted another.

Another excited fan added: “No way! I love that you’re in South Shields because it means you’re our treat when we house sit for my mum…but now…God have mercy on my waistline.”

Friez & Burgz has rapidly expanded to sites across Tyne and Wear and County Durham, including Chester-le-Street and Newcastle.

Their latest branch opened in Chester-le-Street in April, taking over a unit previously occupied by Greggs.

On Tripadvisor, one customer describes the chain as “truly amazing.”

Others have praised its Forest Hall site, calling it “5 stars as usual.”

We have reached out to the team at Friez and Burgz for further comment.

If you are worried about your porn use, Ince recommends seeking out support from a qualified and experienced professional.

A registered psychologist can be particularly helpful because they may consider your mental health more broadly, “and we know that co-occurring mental health problems are more or less the rule, rather than the exception”, he says.

This was the case for Craig, who did not realise his porn use may be unhealthy until he started therapy for his mental health.

“Porn addiction was like a contributing factor,” he came to learn.

His therapist suggested he join a 12-step programme for sex addiction – a recovery model created by Alcoholics Anonymous – which he credits for his recovery.

“I didn’t necessarily find it easy and straightforward to step away from my addiction. I feel I’m in a good place now, but also acknowledge the fact it’s one day at a time.”

There is currently no central, dedicated NHS service for those struggling with their porn use – although some local services offer support, and you can talk to your GP. This means treatment will more likely come from private practitioners, support groups or online self-help.

Ince suggests doing thorough research to find the right fit for you, and cautions against using online resources which may offer generic advice.

Some practitioners will help clients towards cutting out porn altogether, while others will help people “integrate it into their lives in a way that is functional,” says Neves.

Seeking to understand any underlying factors will be a crucial part of treatment, says Hall.

There are some practical steps you can take yourself, she says, such as placing blocking software on your device.

She also advises recognising when you might feel more susceptible to using porn – which, for some, can be when you are stressed or alone – and planning ahead for what you might do instead.

But she says there should ultimately be more support on the NHS, particularly early intervention before porn can take over a person’s life.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “It is troubling to hear accounts of individuals becoming addicted to pornography at such a young age.

“It reinforces the importance of the online safety laws we have put in place to prevent children from accessing harmful content.”

The drink will be sold only in Spar and those loyal to their drink of choice are getting ready to start buying

Drink lovers are prepping to ‘stock up’ as Spar has revealed it is the only shop that will sell Starbucks’ new autumn-favourite flavour. The convenience store has announced it will exclusively be stocking the brand-new Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino (250ml).

The new chilled coffee, brought to market through Spar’s partnership with Red Star and Arla Foods, will be available at Spar exclusively until August 19, 2026. This means that for around three weeks the convenience store will be the only place pumpkin spice lovers are able to purchase one of the coffee chain’s most exciting autumnal flavours.

Coffee lovers took to social media to share their delight about the new release, with one user commenting ‘Need to find this one’, while another said ‘Ok going to need a lot of this’. Spar says the beverage is a ‘reimagination of the iconic autumn favourite’ which ‘delivers a comforting and authentic pumpkin spice experience’.

It’s the first time the coffee giant’s iconic pumpkin spice flavour is available in a ready-to-drink, chilled format. Starbucks lovers shared their delight about the news on social media – and say they are already planning on stocking up ahead of autumn.

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One user commented: “Where’s a Spar??” Another said: “Need to find this one.” A third wrote: “If anyone goes Spar please do not leave without.”

Another person commented: “Ok going to need a lot of this.” Someone else wrote: “So I’m going to need someone to buy me 1,000 of these!!”

Trading Manager at Spar UK, Miles Keeling said: “Spar is immensely proud of our partnership with Red Star and Arla Foods. In securing this convenience exclusive together, we’re offering our customers a unique experience at Spar with a beloved flavour profile, Pumpkin Spice.

“We’re delighted to offer our retailers and national accounts this unique opportunity to drive footfall and shopper spend with this fantastic addition to our range.”

Marketing Director EMEA at Starbucks, Charlotte Oldham, says: “Pumpkin spice has become a cultural moment that signals the start of a new season for so many people, and nothing says Starbucks more than the iconic Frappuccino®. With our Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino®, we are bringing that unmistakable coffee experience into our ready-to-drink range in a way that is both delicious and unmistakably Starbucks.”

Georgia Toffolo has revealed her ‘struggle’ to deal with not falling pregnant after almost a year of trying.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 31, who tied the knot with her millionaire husband James Watt, 44, in March last year, has been candid with fans about their fertility journey so far.

Now, in a new update, Georgia revealed that the happy couple are still hopeful that she will fall pregnant soon.

The star said she thought she would’ve been pregnant now, and admitted it’s hard because she’s an ‘overachiever’ and is ‘so healthy.’

She said: ‘I found the first five months so much harder trying to conceive because I was like, “oh my god, like I’m not pregnant. It’s going on and on.”

‘But now I’m actually quite used to it, which makes things easier. I know that’s quite depressing to say.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 31, who tied the knot with her millionaire husband James Watt, 44, in March last year, has been candid with fans about their fertility journey so far

‘But also I’ve made such an effort to enjoy the life phase that we’re currently in. Every month when it rolls around and I’m like I’m going to go and do the test now.

‘I am sad, I am a little bit sad. But then after a couple of hours I say to James I’m like, ‘I’m alright now are you?’ and he’s like ‘yeah, it’ll happen’.

‘I keep saying to myself and other friends that are trying, I feel so deeply and this is me on a really good day, and just for context in the two weeks wait right now, so you know, I think that proves if you’ve ever tried to have a baby, you know that me having this sunny disposition which is a really good change by the way I’ve really struggled.’

She continued: ‘I feel really strongly that I’m going to get pregnant and we’re going to have a baby and it’s going to be really special and this has been a major lesson in patients, and not trying to control the outcome of everything.

‘I’m such an overachieve, whatever I do, I’m like, right I’m going to be the best, but you can’t do that with this.

‘I think there’s a really special baby coming. I feel it. I know how that sounds mad other people be like you’ve been trying for nearly a year love its not happening.

‘I weirdly just think we’ve got to wait and there will be some amazing reason why it hasn’t happened as quickly as I would have liked.

‘The more of my friends I speak to, it can just take time. I’m so healthy, there’s like a few remaining check that I’m going to have once we’ve been trying for a year but I just don’t want to overmedicalise it because everything that I’ve done so, looks great and what an amazing position to be in.’

In April, Georgia emotionally revealed she and James had been trying for a baby for five months – but that it ‘hasn’t happened yet’

‘Lol are you guys excited for me to come on in here in a week and say I’m having a meltdown,’ she quipped.

In April, Georgia emotionally revealed she and James had been trying for a baby for five months – but that it ‘hasn’t happened yet’.

In a clip shared to social media, she tried to keep her upset to a minimum as she said: ‘My gut has been telling me to share this, but my head has been saying no. Oh my God, I don’t know why I’m gonna get upset.

‘Something that I’ve been, like, really hiding. My husband and I have been trying for a baby.

‘It hasn’t happened on month one, month two, three, four, five. According to all the amazing doctors, that is completely normal. Who knew?

‘You only ever hear the story of get pregnant on the first try, or the second try, or it was an accident, or we’ve been trying for a very long time and it hasn’t happened for us.

‘We are in that really weird space. I just wish someone like me had come on and spoken about it.

‘I am in the two-week wait before every single symptom, or boobs, cramps in your lower tummy, they are all suggestive of two things. Number 1, that you’re pregnant, 2, that your period is on the way. And these are two entirely different outcomes. It is quite lonely.’

Continuing her video, she said she had initially taken pregnancy tests and went through the emotional ordeal without James, but now they do so together.

She explained: ‘The craziness that I have been allowing myself to be is just not healthy. One thing I really wish I hadn’t done, I kept doing the pregnancy test every month on my own, and I didn’t think that was a weird thing until James walked in and was like, what are you doing? He was like, “babe, you need to stop doing that on your own”.

‘We are doing this together. That shift for me has been so amazing, I can actually cry at the relief. And like the thing is, I really mean this, we are not struggling with infertility, we are two incredibly fortunate people.

‘We are just at that weird in-between stage. I would love to hear from people in the comments that had a very similar journey to us, that ended up with this perfect like little gift at the end, positive vibes, guys.’

She was flooded with supportive messages from fans who thanked her for her honesty.