ore than 18,000 migrants have arrived within the UK after crossing the Channel to date this 12 months.

Home Office information reveals 661 individuals made the journey in 15 boats on Monday, the third highest every day whole for 2023 to this point.

This takes the provisional whole for the 12 months to date to 18,618, in line with PA news company evaluation of the Government figures.

This is about 13% under the equal quantity at this level final 12 months, when there had been greater than 21,300 arrivals.

Last week 1,278 individuals made the journey, with crossings going down on six out of seven days.

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The highest every day whole for 2023 to date was recorded on August 10 when 756 migrants made the crossing in 14 boats. The second highest quantity detected in a single day was 686 individuals in 13 boats on July 7.

Crossings continued on Tuesday. On August 22 final 12 months a document 1,295 individuals had been detected making the journey.

It comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak failed to ensure he would be capable of cease Channel crossings by the subsequent basic election, as he acknowledged the complexity of the problem.

At the identical time the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) assume tank stated the Government’s plans to sort out unauthorised migration threat making a “perma-backlog”, with hundreds of asylum seekers caught “in limbo” and in want of lodging.

Facing questions from broadcasters, the Prime Minister pressured his dedication to stopping the boats and stated the variety of migrants making the journey is “down for the first time in some years”.

But he stated he wouldn't be being “straight” with the general public if he claimed the disaster could possibly be solved in a single day.

Meanwhile, campaigners are planning to ship hundreds of postcards to youngster asylum seekers after murals of cartoon characters at a migrant reception centre in Kent had been painted over earlier this 12 months.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick got here underneath hearth for the choice, which featured characters together with Mickey Mouse and Baloo from The Jungle Book.

He had reportedly felt they had been too “welcoming”, though he informed Parliament in July they had been painted over as a result of they weren't “age appropriate” for almost all of the younger individuals staying there.

The energy of a easy postcard can't be underestimated in brightening a toddler's day and conveying the message that they're seen and valued

Rima Amin, who began the Cartoons Not Cruelty marketing campaign, stated: “To say that the cartoons were not age appropriate fails to recognise the 9,300 under-14s that arrived in the UK just last year.

“That’s why we’re sending 9,300 postcards. The power of a simple postcard cannot be underestimated in brightening a child’s day and conveying the message that they are seen and valued.

“While we continue to call for the cartoons to be restored, we understand the immediate need to ensure that no child is deprived of a warm and compassionate welcome.”

The postcards, that includes flowers, love hearts and teddy bears, have been designed by members of the general public and individuals are being inspired to signal them on-line earlier than they're distributed with the assistance of the Refugee Council.