Was Starmer right to link Brexit to a rise in small boat crossings?

Keir Starmer attributes the surge in small boat crossings to Brexit, calling them "Farage boats." The UK leaving EU agreements impacted the return of asylum seekers, causing arrivals to surpass removals post-Brexit. Migration experts note Brexit-related factors like losing access to the EU fingerprint database have influenced the rise in crossings. Despite Reform UK criticizing Starmer for "spreading misinformation," data shows a significant increase in migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats since the UK left the Dublin agreement in 2021.