Police chief who oversaw UK policing response to Covid to lead new border agency

The police chief who oversaw the UK’s enforcement of lockdown laws during the Covid-19 pandemic has been appointed the head of the Government’s new Border Security Command.

Martin Hewitt, the former chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), will be in charge of co-ordinating Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to curb small boat crossings in the Channel and crack down on people-smuggling gangs.

The announcement comes ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to Rome, where he will meet his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni as part of his wider bid to “reset” Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with its European neighbours.

Irregular migration will be at the top of the agenda, with the two leaders set to discuss the Italian government’s approach to border control after the country saw a 60% drop in arrivals by sea over the past year.

Sir Keir, who announced he was axing the previous Tory administration’s Rwanda deportation policy as one of his first moves in office, declared there would be “no more gimmicks” to curb migration ahead of the visit.

“This Government will tackle the smuggling gangs who trade the lives of men, women and children across borders,” he said.

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

Mr Hewitt previously co-ordinated all of Britain’s police forces as they enforced controversial new rules governing lockdowns introduced by then-prime minister Boris Johnson’s administration.

The emergency legislation was criticised by some as rushed and inconsistently applied while the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) revealed some people had been wrongfully charged under the laws.

Mr Hewitt will now be in charge of joining up law enforcement and intelligence agencies to lead joint investigations with European counterparts to address organised immigration crime, No 10 said.

The former officer, who also helped shape national responses to major security threats including terrorism in his role as NPCC chairman, said he was “under no illusions of the challenges that lie ahead” and “determined to face them head-on.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the new border unit would allow the Government to go “much further” in taking action against people-smuggling gangs.

“With the Border Security Command we can go much further – building new law enforcement partnerships across Europe and getting new powers into place, to go after the gangs, tackle dangerous boat crossings and save lives,” she said.

It comes after eight migrants died while trying to cross the Channel overnight as some 801 migrants made the journey on Saturday – the second highest daily total so far this year, according to provisional Home Office figures.

Both Sir Keir and Mr Hewitt are expected to visit Italy’s National Co-ordination Centre during his trip, where they will be briefed on their response to irregular migration.

The Prime Minister is also set to sign a joint communique outlining further co-operation with Rome on migration, growth and defence.

Sir Keir has signalled he is open to pursuing an arrangement similar to Italy’s migration deal with Albania, whereby asylum seekers will be held in the Balkan state while their claims are processed.

The scheme has been criticised by human rights campaigners as unworkable but the Italian government argues it is necessary to reduce migrant arrivals by sea.

Unlike the Rwanda policy, asylum seekers whose applications are successful would be able to enter Italy under the plans.