Former police chief to lead small boat crackdown

Former police chief Martin Hewitt has been appointed head of the UK’s new Border Security Command, which will focus on tackling small boat crossings.

As chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Mr Hewitt previously co-ordinated UK police responses to issues including terrorism and organised crime.

On Monday he will visit Rome with Sir Keir Starmer, where the Prime Minister will meet his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni to learn from her country’s approach to tackling illegal migration.

Italy has recently seen a dramatic drop in the number of migrants making the dangerous crossing from North Africa.

Reducing the number of people crossing the Channel from France in small boats is one of the biggest challenges facing the new Labour government.

In the weekend eight people died attempting the crossing.

The Border Security Command brings together intelligence agencies, police and border security officials to tackle smuggling gangs operating in small boats.

Mr Hewitt led the NPCC between 2019 and 2023 and was previously an Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police.

Downing Street said his experience coordinating the work of police, government and other agencies, including responding to major security threats and managing the UK’s response to the Covid pandemic, was “critical to his appointment”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “No more gimmicks. This Government will tackle the smuggling gangs that trade the lives of men, women and children across borders.

“Martin Hewitt’s unique expertise will usher in a new era of international enforcement to dismantle these networks, protect our borders and restore order to the asylum system.”

Mr Hewitt said: “I am under no illusions about the challenges that lie ahead, but I am determined to meet them head-on.

“For too long, criminal gangs smuggling people through Europe have abused our borders in the name of profit, and they are responsible for the deaths of dozens of vulnerable, innocent people.”

During their visit to Rome, Sir Keir and Mr Hewitt will visit Italy’s National Coordination Centre for Migration to see how the country is dealing with illegal migration and to discuss future cooperation.

Last weekend, Sir Keir said he was “interested” in the migration deal between Italy and Albania, under which migrants rescued at sea would be sent to the Balkan country while their asylum claims were processed.

Asked whether he would consider pursuing a similar agreement, Sir Keir said: “Let’s see. It’s early days, I’m interested to see how that works, I think everyone is.”

After some delays, reception centres in Albania will open later this year.

After coming to power, Labour scrapped the previous Conservative government’s plans to send asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda.

Under the Italian agreement, migrants can still apply for asylum in Italy while in Albania. If they are rejected, they will be deported.

This differs from the now-discontinued Rwanda scheme, under which asylum seekers were not allowed to return to the UK if their application was accepted and were instead allowed to remain in Rwanda.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Keir Starmer has absolutely no plan to stop the boats, which is why he is now trying to copy others.”

He said Labour had “scrapped this country’s deterrent measures against illegal immigration and sent a message to the vile gangs who smuggle people that they are not prepared to take the serious action needed to stop the boats”.

Frontex, the EU’s border control agency, has calculated a 64% drop in the number of people crossing from North Africa to Italy this year.

Central to the decline in crossings to Italy are the financial deals struck with Tunisia and Libya, from where most people leave for Europe.

The EU has given Tunisia money to improve border security, while Italy has supplied patrol vessels and the government has given money to support small businesses and invest in education and renewable energy.

Italian Prime Minister Meloni, who leads a right-wing coalition in Italy, was a close ally of Sir Keir’s Conservative predecessor Rishi Sunak.

Sir Keir visits the country as he seeks a broader ‘reset’ of relations with Europe after Brexit, and will also meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.