UK PM Starmer Vows Strict Action On Channel Crossings As Asylum Row Intensifies

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to detain and return illegal migrants, signalling a tougher approach to Channel crossings and the housing of asylum seekers in hotels.

In a message posted on X on Saturday, Starmer declared, “I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back.”

His remarks came amid nationwide demonstrations against the government’s handling of asylum seekers.

Hotels in London, Skegness, and Gloucester are currently accommodating migrants, and residents held rallies in these cities. In West London, police arrested five people during the protests.

The demonstrations follow weeks of public unrest after police arrested an asylum seeker housed in a hotel and charged him with multiple offences, including the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl.

The incident fuelled calls for stronger border control and stricter management of asylum facilities.

Asylum Hotels See Rising Numbers

Home Office figures show that hotels housed more than 32,000 asylum seekers in the year to June.

The government has previously promised to close asylum hotels by the time of the next general election, but the rising numbers suggest significant challenges ahead.

Official data also reveals that over 25,000 people had crossed the English Channel in small boats by the end of July 2025. This represents a 49 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.

Britain and France have begun testing a pilot scheme in which they return migrants intercepted in the Channel to France, while the UK accepts an equal number of asylum seekers through a legal route.

However, experts note that the scheme only covers a fraction of those making the journey and is unlikely to ease the scale of crossings significantly.

Starmer’s statement comes as pressure builds on his government to curb rising migration numbers and respond to public anger over the use of hotels as asylum centres.

With Channel crossings at record levels and opposition parties criticising the government’s policies, migration looks set to remain a defining issue in British politics in the months ahead.

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