Martin Hewitt is the right pick for ‘border tsar’

The ‘border tsar’ isn’t the official title for Martin Hewitt. The former police chief has been appointed to the new role of ‘Border Security Commander’, but it won’t be long before he ascends to tsardom, given the hype around the job.

The Border Security Command, which Hewitt will lead, was a key part of Labour’s general election manifesto, as part of their plan to ‘smash’ the criminal gangs bringing people across the Channel in small boats. It was one of the first announcements after Labour were elected, with an advert for the post of commander going out within five days. Managing expectations should be top of the list of his priorities, because this is destined to become one of the trickiest assignments in government.

Hewitt is 58. He’s a good fit for the post with extensive experience of the military, law enforcement and working with people at the top levels of government.