Watch live as Emmanuel Macron addresses parliament
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Telegraph
14 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Macron blames Starmer for migrant crisis
Emmanuel Macron is demanding that Sir Keir Starmer make Britain less appealing to Channel migrants to secure a ' one in, one out deal '. The French president believes the UK bears the blame for record numbers of small boats crossing the Channel and has three key demands to reduce its 'pull factors'. Mr Macron, who arrived in Britain on Tuesday for the first state visit by a European head of state since Brexit, was due to announce the new agreement with the Prime Minister at an Anglo-French summit on Thursday. A deal with Paris would allow Britain to legally return illegal Channel migrants to France for the first time since Brexit. But Sir Keir is scrambling to rescue the pact after five EU member states bearing the brunt of European arrivals raised concerns that a deal would see them forced to take more migrants. The Telegraph understands that Mr Macron wants Sir Keir to crack down on the UK's black market for labour and welfare payments and make family reunification for genuine asylum seekers easier as conditions for the deal. An Elysée source warned that Mr Macron expected measures 'addressing the root causes of the factors that attract people to the United Kingdom', adding: 'These causes must also be addressed by the British.' They added that France would be willing to discuss ways to stop more small boats leaving its shores during the Anglo-French summit on Thursday. Mr Macron's allies have said the ease in which migrants can get under-the-table employment means Britain is viewed as 'an El Dorado' – a city of riches, where it is easy to work. The demands emerged as Mr Macron enjoyed a day rich with pomp and pageantry during a visit celebrating what the Elysée called a 'pragmatic rapprochement'. After being greeted at RAF Northolt by the Prince and Princess of Wales and treated to a royal procession, he addressed Parliament before the King hosted a state banquet in his honour in Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening. Starmer must address 'pull factors' In Westminster in the afternoon, Mr Macron went public with his concerns, telling an audience including Sir Keir that the British Government would have to address 'pull factors' to drive down migrant numbers. Channel crossings have hit a record high this year with 20,600 migrants so far, the highest since the first arrivals in 2018. Mr Macron said that a third of migrants entering the EU's Schengen area illegally were aiming for the UK as their final destination. He said: 'France and the United Kingdom have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness.' The president added: 'We will only arrive at a lasting and effective solution with action at the European level [...] as well as addressing migration pull factors. 'But let's be clear we will deliver together, as this is a clear issue for our countries.' He also warned that French and British societies risk 'growing apart' and that Brexit was a 'regrettable' decision, although he said he respected it. Mr Macron is making three demands to Sir Keir to get their 'one in, one out' deal over the line in time for Thursday. The French president wants to make it harder for illegal immigrants to work in Britain. While asylum seekers are not allowed to work legally, the French view is there are not enough controls to prevent them from doing so. The gig economy and delivery drivers are seen as areas that can be easily exploited, and Britain does not have European-style ID cards. Mr Macron also sees benefits for migrants successfully granted asylum as another pull factor attracting migrants to Britain and another root cause that should be addressed. Legal routes for genuine asylum seekers His third demand centres on the number of small boat migrants trying to reach their families who are already in the UK. Mr Macron wants Britain to accept one genuine asylum seeker from France who wants to rejoin a family member in Britain for each illegal migrant France takes back. It is thought migrants will be less incentivised to make the dangerous crossing if they have a legal route into Britain. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has already prioritised a crackdown on illegal foreign workers and a blitz on delivery drivers, announced last week, in an attempt to counter criticism of the UK as a 'soft touch'. Raids on companies suspected of employing illegal workers passed 10,000 in the past year, a 48 per cent rise and fines for doing so have tripled to £60,000. In May, a Telegraph investigation revealed that asylum seekers housed in Home Office hotels are paying off people smuggler debts by illegally working as food delivery riders. Meanwhile, a new law will make it a legal requirement for all companies, including the gig economy, to check workers are legal. Plans are being drawn up to throw small boats migrants working illegally out of taxpayer-funded hotels and widen European-style digital IDs for overseas citizens. The King addressed the small boats crisis on Tuesday night at the state banquet, saying: 'Our security services and police will go further still to protect us against the profound challenges of terrorism, organised crime, cyber-attacks and irregular migration across the English Channel.' He added that there are no borders between Britain and France in the nations' joint quest to solve 'complex threats'. Earlier in the day, the King was seen deep in conversation with the French leader, with whom he shares a good relationship, during a carriage ride through Windsor. The King also kissed the hand of Brigitte Macron, the president's wife. More than 950 servicemen and women from all three armed services, and 70 horses, took part in the ceremonial welcome, from troops lining the carriage procession route to a guard of honour featuring guardsmen from two of the British Army's oldest regiments the Grenadier Guards and Scots Guards. Later in the evening, the state dinner at Windsor Castle saw the Princess of Wales attend her first evening banquet since November 2023, before her cancer diagnosis. She and Mr Macron were among guests who enjoyed a Franco-British menu created by Raymond Blanc at which the King raised a toast to the French in a speech peppered with jokes. Speaking partly in French, the King said: 'The summit that you and the Prime Minister will hold in London this week will deepen our alliance and broaden our partnership still further.' Addressing the French president as well as Sir Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John, he joked: 'We would not be neighbours if we did not have our differences' with 'amicable competition and occasionally even, dare I say, confusion' across cultures.
Daily Mail
35 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Macron and wife Brigitte put on a united front
Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte put on a united front during a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer following an awkward encounter earlier in the day. The French President walked arm in arm with the First Lady as they took part in a wreath laying ceremony with the UK Prime Minister and his wife Victoria at the statue of Sir Winston Churchill. Both leaders each laid a wreath at the base of the monument in Parliament Square before a British Army bugler played The Last Post. They were heckled by a small pro-Gaza protest calling for an end to arms sales to Israel and the recognition of Palestine. Members of the public shushed the protesters following The Last Post. The band of the Welsh Guards then played the national anthems of France and Britain before Sir Keir and Mr Macron departed to lay more wreaths by a statue of Charles De Gaulle. Earlier in the day, President Macron laid another wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior alongside his wife inside Westminster Abbey. The couple were joined by the Sub-Dean of Westminster Abbey, Reverend David Stanton, who led prayers in a moment of reflection. Mr and Mrs Macron appeared to brush off any animosity following an icy interaction just moments after landing in the UK on Tuesday morning. The French President was left red-faced after arriving at RAF Northolt in west London this morning, where the couple were welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales. After President Macron disembarked the plane he extended a helping hand to the First Lady as she walked down the steps. But Mrs Macron appeared to ignore the gesture and instead kept holding the handrail as she walked down, leaving her husband to awkwardly drop his hand. And just seconds later, the French leader suffered another fumbling faux pas as he went to greet William and Kate, who had been patiently waiting on the runway. He first embraced Prince William with a long handshake before turning to the Princess and offering her an unconventional kiss on the hand. The gesture was made even more awkward as President Macron appeared to miss her hand entirely, instead giving her an 'air kiss' just above it. Later on, the Macrons were seen in a car waiting to leave the base - and relations appeared frosty, with Mrs Macron looking at her phone after getting it out of her bag. It comes after Mrs Macron sparked a storm in May when she was seen pushing her husband's face away with both hands before they disembarked a plane in Vietnam. Later in the afternoon, the two couples were joined by King Charles and Queen Camilla as they enjoyed a carriage procession through Windsor. The King and Mr Macron waved from the 1902 State Landau to crowds gathered on the streets, followed by Camilla and Mrs Macron in the Semi-State Landau. The French President then travelled to London to see the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey. The tomb is the resting place of an unidentified British soldier who died in the First World War and was brought back to London. He was buried on Armistice Day in 2020, two years after the war ended, and his grave contains soil from France. The tomb also serves as a poignant memorial to all the WW1 soldiers who died but were not buried in any known grave. Over the years it has become a tradition for Royal brides to place bouquets of flowers on the grave as an act of remembrance for fallen servicemen. This tradition was started by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in 1923 and upheld by her daughter Queen Elizabeth II and the Princess of Wales. Reverend David Stanton reads a prayer as President Macron and his wife take part in the wreath laying ceremony Before his meeting with Sir Keir, Macron delivered a historic address to Westminster politicians, where he said that illegal immigration was a 'burden' on both countries. He said he would work with the PM – who he referred to as 'dear Keir' – on preventing people from crossing the Channel. But he pointed out that those trying to cross to Britain made up a third of all migrants entering the EU's Shengen free movement area and called for continent–wide moves to stop the flow. In a wide-ranging speech he also said that Brexit had been 'regrettable', though he respected Britain's decision to leave. He also reiterated his desire for a Palestinian state to be recognised, and urged Europe to loosen its ties with both China and the United States. President Macron and Sir Keir then travelled by car from the Palace of Westminster to the statue in Parliament Square, where they laid two wreaths by Churchill's statue. They also laid more wreaths by a statue of Charles De Gaulle, where they were joined by veterans of the First World War.
The Independent
41 minutes ago
- The Independent
Financial redress for LGBT veterans must be sped up, MPs to urge ministers
Ministers must ensure all LGBT veterans who suffered historical mistreatment in the armed forces get compensation swiftly, MPs are to warn in a parliamentary debate. A group of MPs will push for the redress scheme for veterans who suffered under the so-called 'gay ban' to be rolled out as quickly as possible. LGBT people in the military were abused, assaulted, and dishonourably discharged without pay, and went on to suffer lifelong consequences when their sexuality was discovered in the pre-2000 era. The £75 million redress scheme set up in December offers payments of up to £70,000 to each veteran to 'acknowledge the historic wrongs they experienced in the armed forces'. Some 84 veterans out of the 1,300 who have applied for the financial payment have been paid so far, according to Fighting with Pride, a charity advocating for the veterans. While the charity has welcomed efforts by the Government to roll out the scheme, it is warning many veterans are now ageing and in poor health and are in need of financial help in their later years. Liberal Democrat MP Jess Brown-Fuller will lead the Wednesday afternoon Westminster Hall debate on the financial redress scheme for the veterans. Ahead of the debate the Chichester MP described the matter as a 'crucial issue'. She added: 'Members of the armed forces who put their life on the line for our country were dismissed in huge numbers for simply daring to be who they are. 'Many faced verbal and physical abuse that stripped veterans not only of their career but of their dignity. 'It's a scandal that the compensation they are rightly owed has been so delayed.' Peter Gibson, chief executive of Fighting With Pride, said: 'It's vital affected veterans get swift justice. 'Many are in their 60s, 70s and 80s – many with poor mental and physical health. Put simply, they don't have time to wait. 'The debate in Westminster serves as an important reminder to Government to speed up consideration of the applications for financial reparations and improve communications. 'Every submission details someone's painful memories of being shunned by the military family; of bullying, intimidation and in some cases criminal convictions and prison.' Mr Gibson met this week with veterans minister Al Carns, where he said the charity 'passed on the real experiences and frustrations of veterans'. A series of recommendations to improve the redress scheme were 'received warmly', he added. 'We're confident – and determined – we'll see improvements which finally deliver the justice impacted veterans deserve,' Mr Gibson said.
