The Home Office has launched an advertising campaign in Iraq aimed at discouraging people from attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats.

Similar initiatives were introduced in Albania and Vietnam by the previous Conservative government in 2023 and 2024.

According to Home Office data, 592 migrants crossed the Channel in 11 boats on Sunday, marking the highest number recorded for a single day in March. So far this year, 2,716 people have made the journey—20% more than during the same period last year, though still fewer than the year before. In 2024, a total of 36,816 migrants were detected crossing, with over 2,000 coming from Iraq.

Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle stated that "ruthless criminal gangs" exploit vulnerable people by spreading false information on social media, and the campaign seeks to counter these narratives using real accounts from victims.

One advertisement features an image of a broken dinghy in the water alongside a migrant’s testimony describing how the overcrowded boat led to people disappearing into the sea. Another showcases a woman’s experience of being lured with promises of a well-paying job, only to end up in forced labor.

However, the Refugee Council has questioned the effectiveness of such campaigns, arguing that individuals fleeing persecution are unlikely to be deterred by social media messages.

As part of broader efforts to curb illegal migration, Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt recently visited Iraq to strengthen international cooperation against the criminal networks facilitating these dangerous crossings. He emphasized that the campaign aims to warn prospective migrants that smugglers cannot be trusted.

Initially, the campaign will target the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with ads appearing on social media, apps, and news websites.

Separately, the Home Office announced that UK ministers are set to sign an agreement with Vietnam to enhance cooperation on tackling irregular migration. The agreement will focus on preventing exploitation, disrupting human trafficking networks, improving intelligence sharing, and repatriating individuals with no legal right to remain in the UK.

Under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, "stopping the boats" was a key priority, and his government attempted to implement the Rwanda plan, which sought to deter migrants by deporting new arrivals to the African nation. However, legal challenges delayed the initiative, and the 2024 general election was called before it could take effect.

Upon taking office, the Labour government immediately scrapped the Rwanda scheme, instead prioritizing the fight against criminal gangs orchestrating the small boat crossings.