UK Border Chief Resigns Amid Growing Pressure to Curb Channel Crossings by Small Boats

THE UK’s border chief who was tasked with stopping the small boats crisis has quit after failing to bring the numbers down, The Sun can reveal.

Martin Hewitt, the border security commander, is set to be out of the role by the end of the month.

More than 40,000 people came across the Channel in dinghies last yearCredit: Getty Martin Hewitt is set to be out of the role by the end of the monthCredit: PA

An insider told The Sun that the change comes amid a drive for a “tighter” operational focus.

More than last year, with numbers set to soar in the coming weeks as warmer weather arrives.

Hewitt took on the top job in October 2024 with 30 years’ experience across policing and crisis management.

He had led the National Chiefs’ Council for four years to 2023 and previously served as an assistant commissioner in the .

Sources told The Sun that Hewitt made the decision to step down and had been “frustrated” about the role.

Duncan Capps, former Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, is understood to be stepping into the role on an interim basis.

He is currently serving in another senior job within the Border Security Command.

An insider told The Sun: “There was a view that the objectives were not being met, and there needed to be a tighter, more defined operational focus.”

Last year Hewitt told The Sun he wanted to be judged on his ability to bring Channel crossings down after taking up the new role.

During a visit to when he was three months into the job he said: “Definitely judge us on the impact we’ve had on the number of crossings.

“Because that is absolutely clear to me from the Prime Minister, from the Home Secretary and I’m sure from the Foreign Secretary.

“That’s what my job is here to try and deliver. So that’s absolutely, that is the measure.”

In October Hewitt told the home affairs select committee that it was “frustrating” that French authorities were not stopping more boats.

Asked about when a new tactic would come into force which would allow French cops to intercept boats at sea, he said: “I was over, and met with him in three weeks ago to really press the point about how significant delivering this maritime tactic is for us because of the taxi boat scenario.

“This was referred to by President Macron at the summit in July when he spoke with the [British] prime minister.

“So it is frustrating that it’s taken the time that it has.

“Your point about the political instability, clearly that has been a backdrop.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We would like to thank Martin Hewitt CBE QPM for his dedicated leadership since the creation of the Border Security Command.

“Over the past 18 months, the Border Security Command has brought government agencies, law enforcement and international partners together to tackle people smuggling gangs, as well as seeing the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act into law.”

The shake up comes as Home Secretary attempts to get a grip on the near-constant arrivals of illegal migrants across the Channel.

She faces having to water down her tough crackdown amid a potential Labour civil war over her hardline approach.

Doubts have emerged over whether Labour will fully apply stricter settlement rules to migrants already living in Britain.

The backlash intensified after ex-Deputy PM Angela Rayner branded the plans “un-British”, fuelling expectations of a behind-the-scenes compromise.

Last year Hewitt told The Sun he wanted to be judged on his ability to bring Channel crossings downCredit: PA The shake up comes as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood attempts to get a grip on the arrivals of illegal migrantsCredit: PA