Influx of Albanian migrants expected as people smugglers take advantage of calm weather

An influx of Albanian migrants is expected on Friday as people smugglers advertise “100,000% secure” boats in good weather.

The traffickers posted adverts on TikTok on Tuesday night offering safe journeys to exploit the return of calmer seas after more than a week of storms and rains prevented all but 50 migrants crossing the Channel.

One, with a background picture of Albanians on a small boat in the Channel, said: "Journey to England on a boat. Start of the journey from Calais. Arrival Dover. Super secure. Secure 100,000%. Start of the journey 11th of this month."

Ministers fear as many as 10,000 more migrants could reach the UK by the end of the year as November has become the peak month because of migrant farm workers moving north to the French beaches after the autumn harvest.

The surge will put the asylum processing centre at Manston in Kent under fresh pressure after the Home Office dispersed more than 2,800 migrants to hotels and other accommodation from the “catastrophically overcrowded” site to reduce numbers to 1,147.

“Lots of people who have travelled through Europe to pick crops move north in November and December to the French beaches. While we have made progress with Manston [asylum processing centre], there is a real prospect that we get 10,000 more people by the end of the year,” said a source.

Albanians have accounted for 12,000 of the record near 40,000 migrants who have so far reached the UK in small boats this year.

Ministers are planning a bespoke fast-track deportation route for Albanians which could see them returned to their home country within weeks.

On Wednesday, the Home Office announced 22 Albanians had been removed directly from Manston back to the Balkan state. They were among 350 foreign criminals and illegal migrants deported last month to more than 40 countries.

Government scrambles to find 'suitable' accommodation

Home Office officials are in a race against time to find “suitable” hotels and asylum accommodation as well as considering “bigger sites” for migrants in anticipation of 10,000 more arrivals.  Nearly 9,000 reached the UK last November and December.

North Northamptonshire Council became the sixth local council on Wednesday to take legal action to stop the Government using a hotel to house asylum seekers.

The authority applied to the High Court for an emergency injunction to prevent migrants being housed in the Royal Hotel in Kettering and is considering its next steps after this was dismissed.

Jason Smithers, the council leader, said: "We do not feel the proposals have been properly considered to ensure the best possible welfare can be provided to asylum seekers and the local communities in which they are housed.”

Five other local authorities are also taking legal action: East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Stoke City Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, and Fenland District Council.

Two of the local authorities - East Riding of Yorkshire and Ipswich Borough - argued their case at a High Court hearing on Tuesday.