Almost 500 migrants crossed the Channel in nine small boats on Saturday.

That pushes the number of small boat arrivals since Labour took power to nearly 5,500.

One of Sir Keir Starmer's first acts was to scrap the Tory plan to process asylum seekers in Rwanda, designed to save lives by deterring Channel crossings.

Labour aim to deal with the crisis by creating a Border Security Command – but have still not appointed someone to lead it.

Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly said: 'When Labour ditched our deterrent they sent a dangerous signal to people smugglers that they were not willing to take tough action to control our borders – and the smugglers are reaping the benefits.

'More than a month later they still have not appointed anyone to run their phantom border command. They must urgently get a grip on ever-rising crossing numbers.'

Home Office figures show 492 arrived in nine small boats on Saturday. This follows 107 landing at Dover on Wednesday.

It brings the total small boat arrivals since the election to 5,492, with the running tally this year at more than 19,000. Some 25 migrants have died attempting to cross the Channel this year, according to French officials.

An Ipsos poll last week in the aftermath of the riots revealed that for the first time in eight years Britons believe migration is the biggest issue facing the UK, with 34 per cent putting it top of their list.

The Home Office said last night: 'The new Government is setting up a new Border Security Command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror-style powers.

'Hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas will smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit.' 

Labour is said to be in the final stages of recruiting a Security Command boss and an announcement could be made this week.

He or she will report directly to the Home Secretary and be paid up to £200,000 to provide 'strategic direction to work across agencies, drawing together the work of the National Crime Agency, intelligence agencies, police, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force'.

Around 100 people have already moved into the command HQ based in the Home Office to establish its 'strategic direction'.