Labour MP Leads Charge to Declare Channel Crossings a ‘National Emergency’...

Labour MP for Hartlepool Jonathan Brash has headed calls for the Uk to declare the illegal migrant crisis "A National Emergency"....

28th August 2025

Hartlepool’s Labour MP Jonathan Brash has issued a plea for the government to declare a national emergency over the escalating crisis of illegal migrant Channel crossings, as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to address the issue head-on.

Brash, who has long campaigned to stop migrants being housed in his constituency, spoke exclusively to The Sun Newspaper yesterday, warning the situation is spiralling out of control. The call comes amid growing public frustration and a surge in small boat arrivals, with Home Office figures revealing that over 50,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel since Labour took power in 2024. This record-breaking influx, up nearly 50% from the previous year, has intensified scrutiny on Starmer’s pledge to “smash the gangs” behind the crossings—a promise critics, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, have branded 'ineffective'.

Brash, representing the North Eastern coastal town of Hartlepool, has been especially vocal about the disproportionate burden placed on his community, which he claims has been overwhelmed by the number of migrants housed locally. “Hartlepool has taken in a disproportionate amount of illegal migrants,” Brash told The Sun. “The situation is unsustainable, and the government must act decisively by declaring a national emergency to address this crisis.”

Reform UK has pledged to bring in Mass Deportations if it wins the next General Election

The MP’s demand echoes sentiments from other quarters, including Reform UK MP Nigel Farage, who recently unveiled Reform UK’s controversial plan for mass deportations, aiming to remove up to 600,000 illegal migrants if elected. Farage has accused Starmer of “siding with international courts” over British interests, advocating for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to facilitate deportations. However, Keir Starmer has rejected such calls, insisting his government is pursuing “serious policies” rather than “gimmicks,” including a new Border Security Command and a returns deal with France.

The crisis has sparked tensions within Labour itself, with senior party figures, including Jo White, leader of the Red Wall caucus, and former Home Secretary Lord Blunkett urging reforms to the ECHR, arguing it's being “misused” to block deportations.

Meanwhile, left-leaning Labour MPs like Nadia Whittome have criticised Starmer’s rhetoric, warning that phrases being used such as “island of strangers” risks fuelling what she claims to be "the far-right sentiment".

Public discontent is also rising, with a YouGov poll showing 45% of Brits supporting a freeze on immigration and a mass deportation programme, while 56% want a significant reduction in arrivals. Protests outside asylum hotels, such as in Falkirk, where a convicted rapist was once housed, have further highlighted community tensions.

Brash’s call for a national emergency underscores the urgency felt in constituencies like Hartlepool, which are feeling the strain of accommodating asylum seekers. \

Home Office data indicates that 32,059 migrants are currently housed in hotels, an 8% increase under Labour’s first year in office. Critics argue that Starmer’s measures, such as fast-tracking asylum appeals and tightening visa rules, are insufficient to stem the tide as claims the situation compounded with national protests around the country has the prospect to spark civil disorder....

Government sources claim the bid to overturn a recent ruling on the Bell Hotel could spark civil unrest if the ruling goes in the governments favour.

As Reform UK gains traction in opinion polls, leading Labour by nearly 10 points, the government faces a pivotal moment. Brash’s plea may force Starmer to reconsider his approach or risk further alienating voters who demand stronger action on illegal immigration, however the governments bid to overturn a controversial ruling on Migrants being holed up in hotels is, according to one government source potentially leading to what could be the next round of summer riots, if the governments successful in its appeal.