People walk into the sea as they prepare to board a migrant dinghy yesterday in Gravelines, France. The numbers of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats is up roughly 40% on last year. A cabinet minister has admitted “Britain has lost control of its borders” after hundreds more asylum seekers crossed the English Channel.Figures released by the Home Office revealed that 1,194 people made the perilous journey on 18 small boats on Saturday, the highest number for a single day this year.The total number who have crossed the Channel is up around 40% compared to the same time last year.The figures are a huge blow to Keir Starmer, who pledged to “smash the gangs” trafficking asylum seekers to the UK.Defence secretary John H