Andy Burnham has blamed Brexit for reducing Britain’s co-operation with European neighbours on migration, while insisting the government’s goal remains to stop all Channel crossings. He also condemned masked anti-migrant demonstrations as “un-British”, arguing that protests going beyond expressing concerns about immigration should be dealt with by police.

The comments followed 781 arrivals on Wednesday, the highest daily total this year, bringing arrivals since the general election to 83,279—more than the British Army’s stated strength of 83,000. Burnham’s view conflicts with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who previously rejected Brexit as the cause, while Conservative and Reform politicians said former EU return arrangements had made little practical difference; meanwhile, activist Daniel Thomas denied charges linked to an alleged boat-slashing incident.