Ex-police chief named head of UK’s border security command

Martin Hewitt's appointment to tackle small boat crossings comes as PM heads to Italy to learn about its immigration policies

The appointment of a former police chief to head the new border security command shows ministers are making serious attempts to stop unofficial Channel crossings rather than the gimmicks" of the last government, the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said.

Ahead of talks centred on migration between Keir Starmer and the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, in Rome, Cooper said such international cooperation was the only way to make progress - but declined to say when the pace of arrivals might drop.