
Starmer and Macron to meet at No 10 amid push for French help on small boats
It comes as the UK has been pressing for tougher action from the French authorities on the beaches along the Channel coast.
The Prime Minister hopes to strike a 'one in, one out' deal to send small boat migrants back to the continent, in exchange for the UK accepting asylum seekers in Europe who have a British link.
Alongside Downing Street talks, Sir Keir and Mr Macron are also expected to attend a reception with UK and French businesses and an event at the British Museum on Wednesday.
Their spouses, Brigitte Macron and Lady Victoria Starmer, will have tea and a tour of Downing Street together, followed by all four having lunch.
While they are being hosted by the King at Windsor, the Macrons will lay flowers on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II and see Fabuleu de Maucour, a horse the French president gave Elizabeth in 2022 to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
In a speech to MPs and peers on Tuesday, Mr Macron promised to deliver on measures to cut the number of migrants crossing the English Channel, describing the issue as a 'burden' to both countries.
He said France and the UK have a 'shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness'.
Decisions at a Franco-British summit on Thursday will respond to 'our aims for co-operation and tangible results on these major issues', Mr Macron added.
The French denied a Telegraph report that Mr Macron blames the UK for the crisis.
A senior Elysee source said: 'The French president looks forward to working with the Prime Minister constructively on this shared priority.'
Last week, the total number of people crossing the Channel in small boats this year passed 20,000.
The total now stands at more than 21,000, a record for this point in the year.
Sir Keir and the French president are also expected to co-host a meeting of the 'coalition of the willing', the peacekeeping mission proposed to be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.
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The Independent
32 minutes ago
- The Independent
Macron says UK and France ‘share same will' amid crunch talks over migrant deal
Sir Keir Starmer said the UK would tackle illegal migration with 'new tactics' and a 'new level of intent' before crunch talks to hammer out a deal with Emmanuel Macron. The French president said the UK and France 'share the same will' to address the issue at the start of a Franco-British summit at Downing Street. It came after the pair said a 'new deterrent' was needed to stop small boats crossing the English Channel. The Prime Minister hopes the French president will sign up to a 'one in, one out' deal on Thursday, the last day of Mr Macron's state visit to the UK. Under the terms of the deal, Britain would accept migrants with links to the country in exchange for sending others back across the Channel. Sir Keir said the meeting was about working together on shared priorities. He said: 'For us, it's about delivering the changes that the British people want to see, and we will agree the situation in the Channel cannot go on as it is. 'So we're bringing new tactics into play and a new level of intent to tackle illegal migration and break the business model of the criminal gangs.' Speaking in French, Mr Macron said: 'We share the same will to tackle networks of illegal immigration through great co-ordination with other European countries. 'We have often mentioned France is the last destination before Great Britain for these men and women who often journey through paths of misery and are exploited by traffickers. 'We will work with countries of first entry in Europe (as) our intention is also to engage all countries who share a responsibility alongside us.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband were also at the summit. Defence Secretary John Healey, who was also at the summit, told ITV's Good Morning Britain that footage of French authorities puncturing a migrant dinghy to stop it from setting off last week was a 'recognition' that France has agreed to change its rules to intervene in shallow waters. To reduce small boat crossings, he said those changes need to be 'fully implemented' alongside new legislation, building up the new border security command, and any steps to be announced by Sir Keir and Mr Macron after the summit. French newspaper Le Monde has reported that some 50 migrants a week would initially be returned to France under the terms of the proposed deal, which it described as largely symbolic. If such a deal were struck, it would only result in the return of a fraction of the 21,000 people who have made the Channel crossing so far in 2025, a record for this point in a year. But it would also represent a concession by the French that such returns are possible, after years of MPs on the right of British politics insisting France is a 'safe' country where migrants can be sent back to. The Times reported the scheme would be scaled up after an initial pilot had shown 'proof of concept', citing Government sources. In return, Mr Macron is said to be pushing for the UK to do more to address 'pull factors' which are attracting people to make the dangerous crossing to the English coast. When Mr Macron and Sir Keir met in Downing Street on Wednesday, the small boats crisis appeared to be the mainstay of their conversations. The pair agreed the crossings are a 'shared priority that requires shared solutions', a Downing Street spokesperson said. They also agreed on the need for a 'new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs' and are aiming for 'concrete progress' on the matter. Following the French-UK summit, the two leaders will host a call with coalition of the willing partners, the proposed peacekeeping mission to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine in future. In a sign of close alignment on defence, Britain and France have announced they will buy new supplies of Storm Shadow missiles, which both have loaned to Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia. The two nations will also work closely to develop a successor to the long-range missile, the Ministry of Defence said.

South Wales Argus
32 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Reform UK supports ‘one in, one out' among its ranks, Commons leader claims
Lucy Powell said she did not expect Nigel Farage's party to 'welcome' efforts to set up a one in, one out English Channel migration deal with France during Emmanuel Macron's state visit to the UK. 'But when it comes to their own party, they're already really enthusiastically implementing a policy of one in, one out,' Ms Powell told the Commons. Mr McMurdock left Reform UK after the Sunday Times published a story on Saturday which alleged two businesses connected to the South Basildon and East Thurrock MP took out Covid-19 loans totalling £70,000 during the pandemic, one of which had no employees. The now-independent MP has insisted that all of his business dealings 'had always been conducted fully within the law and in compliance with all regulations and that appropriately qualified professionals had reviewed all activity confirming the same'. Since last year's general election, Reform has also lost Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe from among its ranks but gained Runcorn and Helsby constituency from Labour in a by-election. Ms Powell, who did not name Mr McMurdock, told the Commons: 'Even though they've only got a group of a handful of MPs, their chief whip seems to have had a busier week than ours. I mean, that's kind of saying something.' Turning to the wider party, she said: 'The bigger story for Reform this week is they really are becoming the party of sleaze and scandal, and dud and dodgy personnel. 'It's not really the right moment, I don't think, to start ditching your vetting procedures, don't you think?' The Cabinet minister also criticised Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who is set to outline her party's welfare policy on Thursday. 'I did notice, though, that the leader of the Opposition today is giving a speech, talking about the ticking time bomb that's been left,' Ms Powell said. 'Too right it's a ticking time bomb – it's their ticking time bomb and we all know that they left mines all over the place, and we're coming along having to sweep them out.' Conservative shadow Commons leader Jesse Norman had earlier said Labour had lost the backing on 'even supportive British newspapers', and told MPs: 'For this Government, of course, the past week marks an anniversary of a somewhat less glorious and happy kind – its first full year in office.' Referring to a resident doctors walkout led by the British Medical Association (BMA) over a bid for 'pay restoration', he told MPs: 'As the wildly overrated Aneurin Bevan said he had done in 1948, the present Secretary of State (Wes Streeting) – and I'm quoting Bevan's words in relation to the GPs in 1948 – that he had 'stuffed their mouths with gold and they are already coming back for more'.' Ms Powell said the Government had already 'delivered a very generous pay settlement', but warned plans for a walkout were 'of course extremely disappointing and strike action that we don't think is at all necessary, because when the NHS is finally moving in the right direction, these strikes will put that recovery at risk, affecting patients and letting down our collective obligations to those that we're here to serve'.


Scottish Sun
36 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Moment Nigel Farage watches in fury as French Navy escorts 70 migrants to UK waters & hands them over to Britain
NIGEL Farage has witnessed first-hand SEVENTY migrants being escorted by France into British waters. The Reform UK leader looked on as a Border Force boat waited for the crammed dinghy to arrive for the handover. 6 Nigel Farage watches as French border force officials escort small boats into Dover Credit: GB News 6 Outraged Farage described it as a "classic" day in the English Channel Credit: GB News 6 Migrants smile and celebrate on a dinghy as it prepares to sail into the English Channel today in Gravelines, France Credit: Getty Video footage highlighted the moment the inflatable was monitored by British and French authorities in shocking footage. Illegal migrants waved and celebrated as they set sail for Britain. Mr Farage blasted successive UK governments who have handed £750 million to France to deal with the small boats issue - but the crisis continues. The incident happened as Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Downing Street to thrash out a deal to thwart the small boat journeys. Speaking from the Channel, Mr Farage said: "This is a classic day in the English Channel. Over the last five years, when the weather's on a red day, you've got a migrant boat. He told GB News: "And we've seen it through the binoculars, there's about 70 people on board being escorted all the way over by the French Navy. "And behind us we have Border Force sitting on a 12-mile line waiting for the handover. We've paid £800 million to the French, and this is the farce that goes on." Downing Street and France are currently trying to sign off on a "one in, one out" deal that could see fifty migrants sent back across the Channel each week. But Mr Farage says that as no one gets deported, Britain should hold up a sign in Dover saying "everyone welcome". He added: "You'd need 10,000 troops on the beach to stop any of these boats taking off. And we've got to be honest about this, we can be upset with the French, but it's our fault. It's our fault. Migrant camps brace for impact as UK-France deal fuels crossings "You might as well have a sign on the White Cliffs of Dover which says 'everyone welcome'. No one gets deported, and I think we have to go further than we've ever gone before." He adds that the nation is in "peril" as communities are destroyed with undocumented males able to roam the streets freely. He added: "I don't think these young, undocumented males that arrive today or any other day should be allowed to freely walk the streets of our country. "I think they've got to be detained in secure accommodation. Because, frankly, we are putting our nation and our people in peril." He added: "We cannot have people coming in and within a couple of days, walking our streets, working for Deliveroo or whatever else." Meanwhile, in Downing Street, Macron said that both the UK and France"share the same will" to address illegal immigration. Mr Macron said: "We share the same will to tackle networks of illegal immigration through great co-ordination with other European countries. "We have often mentioned France is the last destination before Great Britain for these men and women who often journey through paths of misery and are exploited by traffickers. "We will work with countries of first entry in Europe (as) our intention is also to engage all countries who share a responsibility alongside us." 6 A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover Credit: Darren Fletcher 6 This follows a small boat incident in the Channel Credit: PA