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

Prime minister says UK needs to ‘bring back that control’ and safe routes for refugees are necessary to tackle trafficking

Andy Burnham has pledged to be “relentless” in tackling small boat crossings after tens of thousands of migrants entered the Spanish territory of Ceuta, and he said “safe routes” for refugees were necessary to tackle trafficking gangs.

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.