A Daily Mail investigation by Sue Reid disputes claims by politicians, including the UK prime minister, that the migration crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has largely subsided. Around 60,000 people from across Africa entered the North African territory during a mass border crossing at the end of July, and while many adults have since returned to Morocco, the report says thousands of unaccompanied minors remain and show no intention of leaving, undermining assurances such as Andy Burnham's claim that 98% of arrivals have gone home. The situation carries wider implications for migration policy across the EU and Britain, both already grappling with sustained irregular migration.

The reporter says she spoke to 50 young migrants over two days and estimates between 2,000 and 4,000 boys, some as young as 11 or 12, are still living rough in Ceuta, sleeping in doorways, on pavements and in makeshift shelters built from old beds and bathtubs on an industrial estate. Many are reported to be waiting outside the police station for paperwork that would let them travel by ferry to mainland Spain, but with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez on holiday in Lanzarote, officials in Madrid have given no indication such permits will be granted. Ceuta, just seven square miles in area, saw local families reportedly barricade themselves indoors amid looting and unrest during the initial influx, which some residents blamed partly on social media messaging encouraging young Africans to travel via the enclave towards European cities.