Nigel Farage has criticised Sir Keir Starmer for failing to address the latest surge in migrant boat arrivals.
The PM yesterday declared he wanted more joint British-German operations to stop asylum seekers getting to northern France.
But he failed to at a press conference in Berlin how more than 520 people were intercepted in the Channel on Tuesday.
Reform UK leader Mr Farage blasted: “526 people crossed the Channel yesterday.
“As I write, 11 boats are mid-Channel, yet not a word from our Prime Minister.”
Sir Keir was accused of remaining silent on the problem despite evidence smugglers are approaching the busiest part of the year.
Official figures are expected to show more than 20,000 people have now been intercepted trying to reach the UK so far in 2024.
Mr Farage added: “Not only are we through 20,000 crossings for the year, we are now ahead of 2023. There is no end to this.
“On Channel migrants, Starmer will fail.”
There are also growing signs the smuggling gangs are packing record numbers into each dinghy.
Some 526 people were picked up in eight boats on Tuesday, meaning there were around 66 asylum seekers crammed into each dinghy.
As many as 11 boats attempted to cross the Channel yesterday, with the number of migrants arriving yet to be confirmed last night.
But with this daily figure set to be in the hundreds again as settled warm weather continues, it would mean more than 20,000 migrants have come ashore so far this year.
Tony Smith, former head of UK Border Force, warned: “These figures show that the Calais smuggling business model is still thriving and our best deterrent is still bad weather in the English Channel.
“Until we start to see many more boat arrivals being refused permission to stay in the UK – and removed from the country – then I’m afraid this is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.”
Sir Keir, who was on his first official visit to Germany since becoming Prime Minister, said a new pact between London and Berlin could bolster data and intelligence sharing and intensify joint operations.
This could lead to more raids on warehouses used to store equipment. After meeting Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Sir Keir said: “On the wider question of irregular migration and the particular issue we have of small boats crossing the Channel, I have long said that I thought the Rwanda scheme was a gimmick, which is why we stood it down immediately.
“But nonetheless, it is very important we take back control of our borders. The best way, the most effective way, to do that is to take down the gangs that are running the vile trade of putting people in dangerous situations across Europe and across the Channel.”
The PM said his “substantive discussions” with Mr Scholz and proposals for a joint agreement on immigration would help the pair “deal with issues like data sharing, intelligence sharing, joint operations”. Sir Keir added: “That is the way to take effective action in relation to the vile trade that sits beneath irregular migration across Europe.”
Mr Scholz said: “The state has to contain irregular immigration so as to not overburden the country.
“This can and must succeed without questioning our basic law and also international treaties.”
Germany is a key transit country for smugglers bringing dinghies and engines to the French coast.
Thousands of migrants also pass through, with organised gangs using safehouses near Bonn, Cologne, Frankfurt, Essen, Dusseldorf, Bochum and Dortmund.
The 526 migrants who arrived on Tuesday took the provisional total to 19,820 – 0.1% higher than at the same point in 2023, but 21% lower than 2022. A maritime source said: “There’s no doubt the UK will see more Channel migrants arriving by the end of this year, compared to last.We’re currently in the busiest part of the year, where mostly flat-calm conditions allow for hundreds to cross every day.”
Officials have blamed overcrowding for an apparent increase in deaths, not only through drowning but by being crushed on to boats.
There have been at least 25 deaths in the Channel this year.
Charities in France have identified vehicles with Belgian, German and Dutch number plates at a notorious migrant camp near Dunkirk.
The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime said: “The smugglers will rent a property in these towns and fill it with migrants or use an intermediary who can provide a property.”
The Home Office said: “The Government is setting up a new border security command, which will bring together intelligence and enforcement agencies equipped with new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit.”
