New Prime Minister Andy Burnham this week defended his government's handling of the Channel crisis, saying that statistics show 'the plan is working'.

The PM claimed the 'very rigorous' approach of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was bringing down the number of illegal entries to Britain.

Dozens of migrants scrambled through the surf on Tuesday to board a traffickers' dinghy at Hardelot-Plage, south of Boulogne, despite Andy Burnham insisting 'the plan is working'…