Macron to arrive in UK with Starmer set to press for help on small boats
But there will be a political dimension to the visit as well, with the president expected to meet the Prime Minister for a Franco-British summit later in the week.
Top of the agenda for that summit is likely to be action on small boat crossings as Sir Keir attempts to solve one of voters' key issues.
This could include a so-called 'one in, one out' deal to exchange Channel migrants for asylum seekers in Europe who have a link to the UK.
Such an agreement is thought still to be on the table, but a deal has not yet been done.
Ministers have also been pushing for France to revise its rules to allow police to intervene when boats are in shallow water, rather than requiring them still to be on land.
Last week, French authorities appeared to change tactics when officers used a knife to puncture an inflatable boat after it had launched.
But on Monday, Downing Street appeared to suggest a new approach had been discussed but not yet rolled out.
A spokesman for Number 10 said: 'We are the first Government to have secured agreement from the French to review their maritime tactics so their border enforcement teams can intervene in shallow waters.
'This is operationally and legally complex, but we're working closely with the French. We expect this to be operationalised soon.'
Mr Macron's state visit comes a week after the total number of people crossing the Channel in small boats this year passed 20,000.
The total now stands at 21,117, according to PA news agency analysis of Home Office figures, and is a record for this point in the year.
During Mr Macron's visit, he is expected to address Parliament, as his predecessor-but-one, Nicolas Sarkozy, did during his state visit in 2008.
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.
The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday afternoon ahead of the talks, agreeing to provide an update on the 'significant progress' being made by coalition planners.
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged Sir Keir to use the state visit to create a 'united front' against Donald Trump's 'damaging trade war'.
He said: 'The Government has worked hard to negotiate but, every time, Donald Trump's boomerang tariffs come back as he moves the goal posts again and again.
'It's time to make clear to Trump that we will not take his playground bullying and divide-and-rule tactics lying down. That is the best way to stand up for British jobs, protect our economy and end the uncertainty of this trade war for good.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
28 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Starmer and Macron to meet at No 10 amid push for French help on small boats
Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron will hold talks at No 10 as the UK pushes for France to do more to stop migrant crossings. The French president arrived on Tuesday for the first state visit by an EU head of state since Brexit. 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.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
King speaks of UK and France's deepening co-operation amid ‘profound challenges'
In a speech marking President Emmanuel Macron's three-day state visit to the UK, Charles highlighted a summit between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the French leader when commentators expect the issue of small boats to be top of the agenda. The King also spoke of the growing environmental threat where the 'very future of our planet hangs in the balance' and the UK and France have a 'critical role to play'. Charles's comments were made at a Windsor Castle state banquet where Sir Mick Jagger and fiancee Melanie Hamrick were among the guests alongside Sir Elton John and husband David Furnish and actress Dame Kristin Scott Thomas. The King told the guests, who included the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Prime Minister and senior members of the Cabinet: 'Monsieur le President, the summit that you and the Prime Minister will hold in London this week will deepen our alliance and broaden our partnership still further. 'Our armed forces will co-operate even more closely across the world, including to support Ukraine, as we join together in leading a Coalition of the Willing in defence of liberty and freedom from oppression; in other words, in defence of our shared values.' He went on to say: 'Our security services and police will go further still to protect us against the profound challenges of terrorism, organised crime, cyber attacks and of course irregular migration across the English Channel. 'And our businesses will innovate together, generating growth, trade and investment for our economies and across the world.' Earlier in a speech to MPs and peers, 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 told the gathering in Parliament: 'France and the UK have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness.' Decisions at Thursday's UK-France summit will 'respond to our aims for co-operation and tangible results on these major issues'. In his speech Charles described the UK's closest continental neighbour as 'one of our strongest allies' and said in the face of 'complex threats' France and Britain 'must help to lead the way'. There were lighter moments, with the King joking about the popular French cartoon character Asterix the Gaul's incomprehension about Britons' love of tea with a splash of milk, and how dinner guests had drunk 'English sparkling wine made by a French Champagne house'. And he described the 'perfect combinations' of French and British – Monet's paintings of London fog and Thierry Henry, a former French striker with London football club Arsenal, scoring at Highbury. The French president even winked at the King when Charles mentioned the cultural ties between the UK and France and how a Frenchman, William the Conqueror, began building Windsor Castle more than 900 years ago and his son William has made Windsor his home. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence were also among the guests, as were former England goalkeeper Mary Earps, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain, authors Joanne Harris and Sebastian Faulks and sculptor Sir Antony Gormley. Mr Macron also delivered a speech mostly in French but in English he spoke about France's loan of the Bayeux Tapestry which will go on display at the British Museum next year. He said: 'For the first time in 900 years the Bayeux Tapestry will follow the same path as the warriors whose stories it tells and land on British soil. 'Either they were never made or they were lost – those final scenes of the tapestry are missing. 'I see that as (an) even more powerful symbol in the great mural of Franco-British history, the end has yet to be written.'
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Starmer and Macron to meet at No 10 amid push for French help on small boats
The French president arrived on Tuesday for the first state visit by an EU head of state since Brexit. 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.
