More money to protect our borders.
The Border Security Command is set to see its funding doubled as Sir Keir Starmer fixes his sights on ending small boat crossings.
The Prime Minister is expected to use a speech to the Interpol General Assembly in Glasgow on Monday to kick off a week-long blitz on the issue that will see him travel to Hungary for talks on tackling people smuggling.
Monday’s speech will see Sir Keir pledge another £75 million for his new border command, taking its total funding to £150 million over two years.
The money will be used to fund high-tech surveillance equipment and 100 specialist investigators who will target criminals engaged in people smuggling.
The Prime Minister is expected to say: “The world needs to wake up to the severity of this challenge. I was elected to deliver security for the British people. And strong borders are a part of that. But security doesn’t stop at our borders.
“There’s nothing progressive about turning a blind eye as men, women and children die in the Channel.”
The Government also intends to legislate to give border security forces “enhanced” powers, expected to involve expanding counter-terror tactics to deal with people smuggling.
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, announced in the King’s Speech in July, will be the fourth piece of immigration legislation since 2022 as successive governments have attempted to tackle this issue.
The Prime Minister is also expected to say: “This is a vile trade that must be stamped out – wherever it thrives. So we’re taking our approach to counter-terrorism, which we know works, and applying it to the gangs, with our new Border Security Command.
“We’re ending the fragmentation between policing, Border Force and our intelligence agencies.”
His speech comes after more than 5,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats in October, making it the busiest month of the year so far for crossings.
