was branded “pathetic” after claiming it would be a success if small boat crossings were halved within three years.

Border       Security       Commander Martin  Hewitt provoked fury  during an  interview  at  the  Home  Office’s Organised        Immigration        Crime Summit,after saying he wants to see a “very, very  significant  reduction”  in UK arrivals.

But  when  pushed  on  what  a  suc- cessful reduction would look like, Mr Hewitt  told  reporters  that  “halving crossings”    during    his    three-year tenure would be considered a victory.   Shadow    Home    Secretary    Chris Philp said: “This is defeatist nonsense.

Australia  completely  stopped  illegal boat  crossings  about  10  years  ago using a removals deterrent.

“It  was  a  catastrophic  mistake  to cancel the Rwanda removals deterrent before  it  started.  So  far,  2025  has been the worst year ever for crossings.  “And now the border chief is saying they’re not even going to try to stop the boats completely.

“That kind of defeatist capitulation is pathetic and wrong.”#持有SCDO未来星辰大海