A political dispute ignited after a senior government minister claimed that most individuals arriving in the UK via small boats across the English Channel were “children, babies, and women.”
This assertion, made by Treasury minister Darren Jones during a BBC Question Time debate, sparked a heated exchange with Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf regarding the demographics of Channel crossings.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch subsequently demanded an apology from Jones, characterizing his statement as inaccurate.
Jones later clarified that his remarks reflected his observations during a recent visit to Border Security Command in Dover.
He conceded that the majority of illegal small boat arrivals are men, but disputed Reform UK’s claim that this figure exceeded 90%.
Home Office data from the first quarter of 2025, encompassing 6,420 arrivals with recorded age and sex, reveals that 81% (5,183) were adult males.
Among the 531 recorded child arrivals (aged 17 and under), 427 were male and 104 female. The data lacks a further age breakdown, precluding a precise count of infants.
Throughout 2024, 76% of arrivals with known age and sex were adult males.
During the Question Time segment, Jones stated: “When you see these dinghies, assembled by organized criminal gangs, clearly unsafe, and the majority of occupants are children, babies, and women… you must take note.”
Yusuf interrupted, asserting that over 90% of arrivals were adult men, a claim Jones refuted.
Pressed by Yusuf and presenter Fiona Bruce, Jones reiterated his disagreement with the 90% figure.
He further emphasized the plight of vulnerable children, highlighting injuries sustained during the perilous journey.
Jones advocated for a humanitarian response while simultaneously addressing the activities of human-trafficking gangs, urging against politicizing the issue.
Badenoch called for an apology from Jones, stating that credibility requires accurate statements from public officials.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also criticized Jones’ statement as untrue, labeling the minister as “clueless” on social media.
Jones subsequently clarified on X (formerly Twitter): “The majority of illegal small boat arrivals are men, but not ‘north of 90%’ as Reform claimed. My Question Time comments described a specific dinghy with mostly women, children, and babies suffering burns.” He concluded by stating his willingness to clarify the matter.
Additional reporting by Tamara Kovacevic and Lucy Gilder, BBC Verify
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