The UK recorded its largest-ever migrant crossing on a single vessel this weekend, according to Bloomberg - piling further pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer as his Labour Party convenes for its annual conference in Liverpool.

The Home Office confirmed that a boat carrying 125 people crossed from France to England on Saturday, breaking a previous record set in August when 107 people arrived in what was dubbed a “mega-dinghy.” The surge underscores the worsening crisis despite Starmer’s vow to “smash” the smuggling networks responsible for ferrying people across the Channel.

“These small boats crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people-smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders,” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in a statement. “Protecting the UK border is my priority as home secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.”

The weekend also saw tragedy. French officials told Agence France-Presse that two women died attempting the crossing, while a couple and their child were hospitalized with hypothermia. In total, 895 people crossed in 12 boats on Saturday, pushing year-to-date arrivals to record levels despite recent agreements with France, including a new returns deal.

The mounting numbers have placed migration firmly at the top of the political agenda, with polls showing voters ranking it above even the economy. Starmer is under intense pressure to stem the crossings as Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Party, which has surged ahead in national polling, capitalizes on public discontent. On Sunday, Starmer lashed out at Farage in a BBC interview, branding his anti-immigration policies “racist and immoral.” Even former US President Donald Trump has weighed in, urging Starmer to consider deploying the military to counter the crisis.

Among proposals under consideration is a plan to intercept boats in French waters and return them to the continent — an approach that would require French consent.

But as Starmer wrestles with external political threats, he is also facing dissent from within Labour. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham delivered a pointed critique of his leadership during a packed rally at the conference.

“How can you have an open debate about all of those things if there’s too much of a climate of fear within our party and the way the party is being run,” Burnham asked, according to Bloomberg, drawing cheers and applause. “We need to be more united.”

Burnham accused the leadership of stifling internal debate, pointing to the suspension of MPs over social media activity and support for lifting the child benefit cap. “To sustain the Labour government, you can’t be narrow and shallow,” he said.

His remarks have fueled speculation that he is positioning himself as an alternative to Starmer, with some media branding him “the king over the water.” Burnham rejected suggestions of disloyalty but left the door open to change: “We can make this government work. We can find that more hopeful direction, and we can win again at the next general election.”

The convergence of record migrant crossings, growing public anxiety, and open dissent within Labour has created one of the most fraught moments of Starmer’s premiership.