Priti Patel appoints former counter-terror police chief to help lead borders crackdown

Priti Patel has appointed a former counter-terror police chief to replace a career civil servant and help lead her borders crackdown.

With Channel migrant crossings reaching a new daily record of 828 on Saturday, the Home Secretary has turned to Tony Eastaugh, a former national counter-terror gold commander, to head immigration enforcement as its new director general.

Mr Eastaugh replaces Tyson Hepple, who has spent nearly all of his career in the Home Office, as part of a major shake-up amid growing frustration within the Government at the failure to stem the flow of illegal Channel migrants.

It is understood that all four of the most senior civil servants who headed immigration enforcement and Border Force are leaving the Home Office. A new boss is to be appointed to oversee both departments with a brief to curb the crossings and overhaul Britain's "broken" asylum system.

A former counter-terror colleague of Mr Eastaugh's said: "Someone with real operational background is what these worlds need, not civil servants – most of whom don't have that experience."

Mr Eastaugh, who is "interim" director general, is understood to be in the running for the new "supremo" role.

But insiders said two former senior chief constables are also being canvassed for the job. They are Paul Crowther, who headed British Transport Police, and Gareth Wilson, deputy chief constable for the Ministry of Defence police and a former chief constable of Suffolk.

The shake-up comes at a critical juncture for the Government, with the number of Channel migrants at a record 12,500 this year – up from 8,400 for the whole of last year – and questions being raised over the effectiveness of handing France another £54 million of Government cash to try to prevent crossings.

Ms Patel is also pushing through new laws that will deny illegal migrants the right to settle in the UK even if they are granted asylum, give Border Force powers to turn back migrants' boats and establish processing centres for thousands of migrants in the UK and potentially abroad.

There are also the first signs of a harder line from France, with Xavier Bertrand, a presidential candidate, backing the "turn back" tactics that the country has previously rejected and Gerald Darmanin, the interior minister, calling for reinforcements from Frontex, the EU border agency.

Tory MPs and former Border Force chiefs have told the Government that ending migrant crossings will only be achieved if France agrees to take back migrants turned back in the Channel or even on the English coast.

Last month, Mr Eastaugh completed a military leadership course at the Royal College of Defence Studies. He was a commander in the Metropolitan Police, worked on the national major disaster teams and spoke for the Association of Chief Police Officers on stop and search.

He has been operational director for immigration enforcement following a secondment from the police, leading crackdowns on illegal migrants.

The appointment follows the recruitment by Ms Patel of former Royal Marine and ex National Crime Agency officer Dan O'Mahoney as Clandestine Channel Threat Commander.

A Border Force source said: "Priti has very high expectations and strong views when it comes to matters connected to immigration and migration. It is about improving delivery."

Tuesday saw another group of migrants reach UK shores as a dinghy with 20 people on board, including three children and a baby, landed on Broadstairs beach in Kent in front of stunned sunbathers.

A Home Office spokesman said: “Paul Lincoln and Tyson Hepple’s decision to depart from the Home Office were announced by the Permanent Secretary in June. They have both been hugely respected senior leaders in the Department, with major achievements during their time here.

“The recruitment campaign for the Borders and Enforcement DG is ongoing and we will announce the appointment once it is concluded.”