Burnham and Macron discuss new measures to tackle migrant boats

Highlights

• Britain and France agree to strengthen action on Channel crossings
• Leaders discuss larger boats being used to cross the Channel
• Burnham says Britain and France are making progress in reducing crossings

BRITAIN and France are to step up efforts to prevent migrants and asylum seekers crossing the English Channel in small boats, as prime minister Andy Burnham and French president Emmanuel Macron held their first official talks on Thursday (3).

The leaders discussed the growing use of larger and more powerful boats to bring people across the Channel, as well as measures to stop the vessels being launched from French beaches.

A 45-strong team of French officers will be deployed on beaches in the coming weeks as part of the effort, Downing Street said.

Burnham told Macron that the two countries were “making headway on driving down numbers and reducing crossings”, according to a UK government account of the meeting.

Britain recorded its lowest number of small boats carrying migrants and asylum seekers crossing the Channel during the summer since 2019, the government said earlier this week. Downing Street attributed the progress to its enforcement agreement with France.

For people making the dangerous journey, however, the issue remains a challenge for both countries. The latest discussions focused on ensuring that the reduction in crossings is sustained and that smugglers do not find new ways to bring people to the English coast.

The leaders agreed that the progress needed to be extended across Europe to help deter what the UK government described as illegal migration.

Focus on larger boats

Officials are increasingly concerned about the use of what Downing Street called “mega dinghies” — larger boats capable of carrying more people and travelling longer distances.

The new French deployment is intended to strengthen efforts to prevent launches before migrants reach the water.

Migration has been a major issue in Britain’s relationship with France, with successive UK governments seeking closer cooperation with Paris to reduce Channel crossings.

Thursday’s meeting came as Burnham seeks to strengthen Britain’s relationship with the European Union while keeping migration controls at the centre of his government’s approach.

The prime minister has said Britain needs to be “bolder” in getting closer to Europe, but has ruled out returning to the EU’s single market or customs union and restoring free movement.

Wider UK-France relationship

Migration was one of several issues discussed during the meeting at Downing Street, with the leaders also talking about Britain’s relationship with the EU, support for Ukraine, the Middle East and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Macron described the meeting as a “very important moment” for relations between Britain and France and said he had come with “a willingness and a commitment to get closer and closer”.

The French president had said on Wednesday (2) that the two countries “do not always see eye to eye” but respected each other and remained open to discussions on the UK’s closer relationship with the EU.

Burnham is seeking greater cooperation with Europe as he looks to support UK economic growth while maintaining the government’s position on Brexit.

The leaders also discussed plans for local assembly lines in Ukraine for France’s SCALP missile, the French version of Britain’s Storm Shadow.

Their meeting followed an appearance with King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Wednesday to preview the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition in London.

Burnham described France’s loan of the nearly 1,000-year-old tapestry as a “huge personal gesture of goodwill, trust and friendship”.