Border Security Command

The Border Security Command was first proposed in a speech by Labour Party leader Keir Starmer in May 2024.{{Cite news |last=Dathan |first=Matt |date=9 May 2024 |title=Labour will deploy MI5 to combat Channel migrant crisis |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/labour-will-deploy-mi5-to-combat-channel-crisis-9sv8tcffw |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=The Sunday Times}} The party planned to create a new border security command if it entered government. The command would be responsible for tackling the ongoing crisis of illegal migrant crossings on the English Channel by coordinating the activities of government agencies such as MI5 in prosecuting people smuggling gangs which facilitate illegal immigration to the United Kingdom.{{Cite news |date=10 May 2024 |title=Keir Starmer unveils Labour's plan for a new Border Security Command to tackle the small boats crisis |url=https://policymogul.com/key-updates/36772/keir-starmer-unveils-labour-s-plan-for-a-new-border-security-command-to-tackle-the-tory-small-boats-crisis |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=PolicyMogul}}

The command was proposed as Labour's alternative to the Rwanda asylum plan of the incumbent Conservative government, which the party claimed would fail to tackle the migrant crossings across the Channel and criticised as a waste of money.{{Cite news |last=Markson |first=Tevye |date=13 June 2024 |title=Labour confirms HMRC funding and border-security command in surprise-free manifesto |url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/labour-confirms-hmrc-funding-and-bordersecurity-command-in-manifesto-with-few-surprises |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=Civil Service World}} The command was further detailed in Change, the Labour Party's manifesto for the 2024 general election, as one of its main manifesto commitments.{{Cite news |date=13 June 2024 |title=Labour pledges to end over-reliance on migrant workers by linking immigration to skills and to set up new Border Security Command to tackle small boats |url=https://www.ein.org.uk/news/labour-manifesto-pledges-end-over-reliance-migrant-workers-linking-immigration-skills-and-new |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=Electronic Immigration Network}} In the manifesto, the party pledged to establish the command with counter-terrorism powers to enable it to prosecute people smugglers should it enter government.{{Cite news |date=5 July 2024 |title=Labour manifesto: What they plan to do in government |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cml2en8xlxko |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=BBC News}} It would be funded by ending the Rwanda asylum plan and reallocating the money pledged for the plan to the command, which the party said would enable it to "pursue, disrupt and arrest those responsible for the vile trade".{{Cite news |last=Dearden |first=Lizzie |date=6 July 2024 |title=Forget 'stop the boats', Starmer wants to 'smash the gangs' – but will it work? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/06/forget-stop-the-boats-starmer-wants-to-smash-the-gangs-but-will-it-work |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=The Guardian}} Starmer said he wanted to raise around £75 million from the defunct plan each year to fund the command.{{Cite news |last=Baker |first=Tim |date=7 July 2024 |title=Government to divert tens of millions from Rwanda plan to new Border Security Command |url=https://news.sky.com/story/government-to-divert-tens-of-millions-from-rwanda-plan-to-new-border-security-command-13174772 |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=Sky News}}

Following Labour's victory in the 2024 general election and the formation of the Starmer ministry on 5 July, the new Labour government scrapped the Rwanda asylum plan on the day it entered office.{{Cite news |date=5 July 2024 |title=Starmer kills off Rwanda plan on first day as PM |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/07/05/starmer-kills-off-rwanda-plan-on-first-day-as-pm |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=The Daily Telegraph}}{{Cite news |last=Francis |first=Sam |date=6 July 2024 |title=Starmer confirms Rwanda deportation plan 'dead' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9dn8erg3zo |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=BBC News}} On 7 July, the new home secretary Yvette Cooper launched the Border Security Command (BSC) to replace the plan, accompanied by an audit into the money already granted to the Rwandan government through the plan to see if the UK government could take it back, as well as new counter-terrorism legislation which would be drawn up in the coming weeks to tackle illegal immigration.{{Cite news |date=7 July 2024 |title=Cooper sets out plan to tackle small boat crossings |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp08vyg436jo |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=BBC News}} The command would be funded by money previously earmarked for the Rwanda plan and would be responsible for coordinating the activities of Immigration Enforcement, MI5, the Border Force and the National Crime Agency in tackling smuggling gangs which facilitate illegal migrant crossings over the English Channel. The new office of Border Security Commander was also established, whose remit would be to lead the new command and its members, with the government expecting the appointment of the first officeholder to be made in the coming weeks.{{Cite news |date=7 July 2024 |title=Home Secretary Yvette Cooper launches border security command to tackle small boat gangs |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2024-07-07/home-secretary-launches-border-security-command-to-tackle-small-boats-gangs |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=ITV News}}{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Natasha |last2=Quinn |first2=Chay |date=7 July 2024 |title=Home Sec Yvette Cooper launches Border Security Command to 'smash Channel gangs' as leader search begins |url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/yvette-cooper-labour-channel-migrant-gangs-border-dover/ |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=LBC News}} A team in the Home Office was tasked with setting out the remit of the command, as well as its governance structure and its strategic direction.{{Cite news |last=Reynolds |first=Jordan |date=7 July 2024 |title=Home Secretary launches new Border Security Command to tackle small boats gangs |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/yvette-cooper-home-office-recruitment-national-crime-agency-conservatives-b1169261.html |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=The Evening Standard}}

{{Infobox political post

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| incumbent = Martin Hewitt

| incumbentsince = 15 September 2024

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| appointer = Home Secretary

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| inaugural = Martin Hewitt

| formation = 15 September 2024

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The Border Security Command is led by the Border Security Commander, who answers to the Home Secretary; the office is currently held by Martin Hewitt, who was appointed to the role in September 2024, by the Home Secretary,{{Cite news |last=Devlin |first=Kate |date=7 July 2024 |title=Home secretary launches new border security squad after scrapping Rishi Sunak's Rwanda plan |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rwanda-small-boat-rishi-sunak-yvetter-cooper-command-b2575612.html |access-date=7 July 2024 |work=The Independent}} with an advertised salary of £140,000 to £200,000.{{cite web |title=Border Security Commander |url=https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1915525 |website=www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk |publisher=Civil Service Jobs |access-date=13 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713161101/https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi?jcode=1915525 |archive-date=13 July 2024 |language=en}}

;List of Border Security Commanders

1. Martin Hewitt (2024–present)

{{Keir Starmer sidebar}}

• Maritime Border Command

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-launches-new-border-security-command GOV.UK announcement of the command's launch]

{{Home Office (United Kingdom)}}

{{UK home nations police forces}}

{{Keir Starmer}}

Category:2024 in British politics

Category:Home Office (United Kingdom)

Category:Immigration to the United Kingdom

Category:2024 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Government agencies established in 2024

Category:Premiership of Keir Starmer