Burnham to be ‘relentless’ on small boat crossings after Ceuta crisis

<p>Prime minister says UK needs to ‘bring back that control’ and safe routes for refugees are necessary to tackle trafficking</p><p>Andy Burnham has pledged to be “relentless” in tackling small boat crossings after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/31/ceuta-spain-morocco-border-deaths">tens of thousands of migrants entered</a> the Spanish territory of Ceuta, and he said “safe routes” for refugees were necessary to tackle trafficking gangs.</p><p>Speaking during a visit to Dover, the prime minister said he had been assured by the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, that approximately 98% of the estimated 50,000 people who entered Spain’s north African territory of Ceuta last week had now been returned to Morocco.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/aug/02/andy-burnham-small-boat-crossings-uk-ceuta-crisis">Continue reading...</a>