LONDON - Britain has "lost control" of its borders over the past five years as illegal migrant arrivals continue to surge, Defence Secretary John Healey said on Sunday.

According to official figures, 1,194 migrants arrived in the UK in small boats on Saturday, marking the highest daily arrivals so far this year.

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"Truth is, Britain's lost control of its borders over the last five years, and the last government last year left an asylum system in chaos and record levels of immigration," he told Sky News.

Meanwhile, he said it is a "really big problem" that French police have failed to intervene effectively to intercept boats in shallow waters despite signing a 480-million-pound deal with Britain to stop the crossings.

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French police have intercepted just over 38 percent of asylum seekers attempting to reach Britain in small boats this year, down from 45 percent in 2024 and 47 percent in 2023, according to Home Office figures released on Thursday.

France has not yet issued an official response on the matter.