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Britain is closing in on a major and controversial milestone, with small-boat migrant crossings set to hit 200,000 since the crisis began eight years ago, after another 800 arrivals over the weekend. The total stood at 199,828 by Sunday night - meaning just one more boat could push the figure over the threshold.

The scale of crossings, equivalent to the population of York, has intensified the political row over immigration as voters head to the polls on Thursday. Critics have seized on the figures as evidence of a system under strain. Over the weekend alone, multiple dinghies reached the UK. On Saturday, six boats carrying 422 people arrived - an average of around 70 migrants per vessel. Witnesses in Dover said further Border Force ships brought in additional arrivals on Monday, with those figures still to be formally added to the Home Office tally.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told The Sun: "Crossings are up 45 % since the election and Labour has no control of our borders.

"This is mayhem and tens of thousands of young, male illegal immigrants are flooding into the country every year.

"Some then go on to commit murder, rape and sexual assault - creating a crime crisis.

"We need to leave the European Convention on Human Rights which will enable us to deport every illegal immigrant within a week of arrival.

"Then the crossings will soon stop. That is the Conservative plan, but Labour is too weak to do it."

Reform UK also launched a fierce attack on both main parties. Home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said: "This isn't migration, it's an invasion enabled by the weak, feeble leadership of successive Conservative and Labour governments.

"Only Reform UK has the courage to shut this down and deport those breaking into this country illegally."

The party has pledged to introduce a "Mass Deportation Act" and open detention centres capable of holding up to 24,000 migrants within 18 months. The proposals have been heavily criticised by opponents, with the Greens branding the idea a "disgusting" attempt to distract voters.

The row comes as polling suggests a dramatic shift in the political landscape. Labour is forecast to lose hundreds of seats in Thursday's local elections, potentially suffering its worst performance in decades, while Reform is predicted to make major gains.

Meanwhile, the Government insists it is taking action to curb crossings. A Home Office spokesperson said: "This Government is bearing down on small boat crossings.

"The Home Secretary has signed a landmark new deal with France to boost enforcement action on beaches and put people smugglers behind bars.

"This builds on joint work that has stopped over 42,000 illegal migrants attempting to cross the channel since the election.

"We have removed or deported almost 60,000 people who were here illegally and are going further to remove the incentives that draw illegal migrants to this country."

However, questions remain over the effectiveness of these measures. A £662million deal with France includes drones, helicopters and increased patrols, yet in one recent week only 74 out of 323 attempted crossings were stopped.

Smugglers are also adapting, launching boats from further up the coast, including Belgium, while packing more people into each dinghy. In April, boats carried an average of 62 migrants.

The dangers of the journey continue to claim lives. On Sunday, a woman and a 16-year-old girl died after a boat carrying 82 people ran aground in northern France, reportedly following an engine explosion. According to the International Organization for Migration, 288 people have died in connection with Channel crossings.

With arrivals still climbing and removals lagging far behind, the UK appears set to pass the 200,000 mark - a stark symbol of a crisis that shows little sign of easing.