Sir Keir Starmer has appointed a former senior police officer to “lead a new era of international enforcement” in a bid to tackle the small boats crisis.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Image: Getty)
Martin Hewitt, who led the UK’s policing response to Covid-19, will oversee the UK’s Border Security Command.
The Prime Minister has travelled to Rome with Mr Hewitt, the former chair of the National Police Chiefs ‘Council, to meet Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and learn more about the country’s success in tackling illegal migration.
Sir Keir said: “No more gimmicks. This government will tackle the smuggling gangs who trade the lives of men, women and children across borders.
“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.”
Sir Keir Starmer has signalled he is “interested” in Italy’s migration deal with Albania as a way of tackling the small boats crisis ahead of a meeting with Ms Meloni tomorrow.
Arrivals in Italy have fallen by 62% after Ms Meloni launched a crackdown on migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
She has struck deals with Libya and Tunisia to stop boats leaving northern Africa and controversially banned charity ships from picking up asylum seekers from more than one boat at a time.
Downing Street said that Sir Keir, who made “smashing the gangs” a key pledge in his general election campaign, will outline the UK’s strategy to work more closely with European nations to “pursue, disrupt and arrest those responsible for this vile trade”.
The Prime Minister and Mr Hewitt will tomorrow tour the National Coordination Centre for Migration in Rome to see first-hand how Italy responds to irregular migration and discuss future cooperation.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Dangerous criminal smuggling gangs have been making millions out of small boat crossings, undermining our border security and putting lives at risk, and getting away with it for far too long.
“Under this Government, we have taken early action against the smuggler gangs including increasing British officers stationed at Europol and commencing recruitment of 100 specialist investigators to go after these criminal networks and their supply chains, including seizing boats and engines.
“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.”
More than 22,000 migrants have crossed the Channel so far this year, figures have revealed.
Border Security Commander Mr Hewitt said he was under no illusions” of the challenges that lie ahead.
He added: “But I am determined to face them head-on. For too long, the criminal gangs who smuggle people through Europe have abused our borders in the name of profit, and they are responsible for the deaths of scores of vulnerable, innocent people. We will dismantle them, bring them to justice and prevent them from using exploitation and deceit to fill their pockets.
“It is great to see that progress has been made in recent weeks, and we will build on this to forge deeper relationships with all of the organisations within Border Security Command, as well as our friends and partners across the world.”
While in Rome, Sir Keir will also meet business leaders to “unlock further trade potential” between the two countries.
