Burnham’s silence on boat migrants is deafening… he needs to stop talking about favourite albums & and tackle big issues

WHATEVER became of Labour’s solemn promise to “smash the gangs” behind the small boats crossing the Channel? Its supposedly bulletproof plan is looking emptier than Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard. Andy Burnham’s silence on boat migrants is deafening Credit: French Sea Rescue Services. How Andy might solve the small boats scandal, one of the most pressing issues of our time? Nothing, nada, nix Credit: Richard Pohle Despite all the tough talk, in the two years since the party took power in July 2024, more than 73,000 illegal migrants have slipped over from northern France. Indeed, almost 900 arrived in Andy Burnham’s first week in No10 — nearly twice as many as reached Dover during open borders enthusiast Keir Starmer’s initial seven days as PM. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! And the grim news doesn’t stop there. The boats crossing the Channel are not so small any more. Terrifyingly, migrants are now piling on to new supersized dinghies — dubbed Burnham Boats — which are able to transport more than 100 people at a time. One 42ft-long mega-inflatable arrived on Thursday carrying an astonishing 165. The British public, who never voted for this relentless tide of illegal immigrants, justifiably feel angry, frustrated and afraid. Bitter experience has taught us that far too many asylum seekers repay this country’s welcome by committing bestial crimes, including murder and child rape. Meanwhile, Iran openly boasts about smuggling sleeper agents, intent on causing us grave harm, into the UK under cover of the small-boats crisis. Most read in The Sun And as the 39877687 on Saturday chillingly demonstrated, there are frequently links between migrants, who come from cultures very different to our own and despise our way of life, and terrorist atrocities. Burnham is clearly not stupid. He must know that illegal immigration is a profound and serious concern for millions of ordinary Brits. Uncontrolled migration affects almost everyone and places a burden on the areas that most need improvement: Health, utilities, housing, welfare and law and order. Yet since entering Downing Street, his silence on this contentious subject has been deafening. He found time during his first week in office to discuss the merits of Scampi Fries, in a TikTok video with Chancellor John Healey about pub snacks. There is no sense that Burnham is ruthless enough to tackle this scandal, or even wants to Credit: PA Terrifyingly, migrants are now piling on to new supersized dinghies — dubbed Burnham Boats Credit: PA He regally informed us of his all-time favourite albums. And he humblebragged about a gold disc loaned from The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. But on how he might solve the small boats scandal, one of the most pressing issues of our time? Nothing, nada, nix. That is simply not good enough. It is this casual indifference towards illegal migration that has spread the anger and disaffection on which extremism feeds. So, what is the PM’s position on Channel migrants? Is he willing, unlike politicians past and present, to take decisive action to stop this menace? Is he, at this very moment, drawing up a comprehensive set of reforms to fix the broken asylum system? Don’t hold your breath. It would mean committing to a series of policies that would make the not-so-soft Left of his party have a fit of the vapours. Every scheme Burnham has announced so far — from his intention to end rough sleeping to reducing the cap on bus fares — is an easy hit which his backbenchers want to hear. Burnham found time during his first week in office to discuss the merits of Scampi Fries, in a TikTok video with Chancellor John Healey Credit: Youtube/Andy Burnham Burnham says his main goals are to ease the cost of living for families and invest more in public services Credit: Reuters If he wanted to stop the illegal invasion, our people-pleasing PM would be forced to ruffle feathers. He would have to address the “pull factors” which persuade huge numbers to risk their lives crossing the Channel. But the factors preventing a solution to the Channel crossings are core to Labour’s ideology: Public sector indolence, welfare largesse and a cat’s cradle of human rights legislation. The truth the party finds unconscionable to admit is that the gangs are not the biggest beneficiaries of this evil trade. The migrants themselves are. Those clambering into the boats on the shores of Hauts-de-France are not innocent victims who lack agency. They have willingly paid thousands for a berth in order to gatecrash Britain. Instead of being detained in spartan jail-like camps, once here the migrants know they will be put up in plush hotels and given spending money, free healthcare and food courtesy of the long-suffering taxpayer. Failed asylum seekers have got almost as much chance of winning the Lottery as of being detected, detained and removed. Indeed, the overwhelming majority eventually win permission to stay, meaning they can access benefits and bring family members to join them. Talk about hitting the jackpot! Yet there is no sense that Burnham is ruthless enough to tackle this scandal, or even wants to. Indeed, out-of-touch Labour MPs are trying to pull even further away from the public’s priorities on ending illegal immigration. What a kick in the teeth for the vast majority of fair-minded, law-abiding people who want an end to this self-harming madness. As well as putting pressure on jobs and public services, and undermining community cohesion, the failure to tackle this problem hits us all in the pocket. Experts calculate that each dinghy migrant will cost us £400,000 over their lifetime. That means the bill for the hordes arriving since our new PM took office will be as much as £360million — a back-breaking burden for the taxpayer. Burnham says his main goals are to ease the cost of living for families and invest more in public services. If he is genuine, he must end the insanity of Britain being an El Dorado for Channel migrants. Comment now