Andy Burnham praises Emmanuel Macron for collaboration as they meet at No 10The two leaders met at Downing Street on Thursday morning.Prime Minister Andy Burnham with French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting at 10 Downing Street (Leon Neal/Getty)PA WireDavid Lynch5 minutes ago
Andy Burnham has discussed the small boats crisis with French President Emmanuel Macron, the first world leader he has welcomed to Downing Street since becoming Prime Minister.
The two leaders met at No 10 on Thursday morning after spending the previous evening together at the British Museum alongside the King to mark the special exhibition of the Bayeux Tapestry.
A boost in the number of police officers confronting the “mega dinghies” carrying migrants from France to Britain was announced ahead of their meeting.
“On behalf of everyone here, Mr Le President, can I thank you for your huge personal gesture of goodwill, trust and friendship with Britain in allowing the Bayeux Tapestry to be displayed here,” Mr Burnham told the French president.
Sitting in Downing Street’s pillared room, Mr Burnham said it was “so fitting that it is our nearest neighbour and close friend Emmanuel” who was his first international guest since coming to power.
Mr Burnham added: “It shows what collaboration can achieve, just as we are also showing on Ukraine, on small boats and also on strengthening the UK-EU relationship. So I look forward to discussing those themes further with you today.”
Mr Macron said: “This is a very strong relationship. For me it is extremely important, and I’m here with willingness and a commitment to get closer.”
The Macrons were greeted by Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his wife Marie-France Van-Heel (Leon Neal/PA)PA Wire
Ahead of the talks, Mr Burnham said the two countries must “stay one step ahead” of the criminal gangs’ evolving tactics to transport people across the English Channel, and he vowed not to be “complacent” after a fall in the number of small boat arrivals.
While the combined total number of boat crossings over the summer months has dropped to its lowest since 2019, smugglers appear to have started loading more people on to fewer, larger vessels.
No 10 said measures to counter the trend include deploying a surge team of 45 officers to French western beaches in the coming weeks, almost tripling resources in the area.
Downing Street was asked by reporters if the surge team of an extra 45 officers would be enough to deal with the new, larger dinghies being used for the perilous Channel crossing.
A No 10 spokeswoman told reporters: “That is just one part of our expansive efforts to bear down on criminal gangs, adapting to their latest tactics, and it almost triples French resources in that area.”
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She also pointed to the new 75-strong unit focused on curbing crossings, which has begun operations in northern France, taking the total number of officers to nearly 1,050.
The Government has also announced that a new specialist French intelligence and judicial team seeking to root out and prosecute smuggling networks has grown from 18 to 30 officers.
Refugee charity Freedom from Torture said ministers should invest in the UK asylum system instead of supporting policing in France.
Head of asylum advocacy Sile Reynolds said: “The number of people crossing the Channel is dropping, but as smugglers adapt, crossings are only becoming more dangerous.
French President Emmanuel Macron and first lady Brigitte Macron leave Downing Street (Stefan Rousseau/PA)PA Wire
“Small boats are already being replaced by mega dinghies that pose a far greater risk of death, with an estimated 21 people already having died in the Channel this year.
“At the most basic level, the Government is failing to protect the lives of vulnerable people seeking safety.
“UK taxpayers’ money is being spent bolstering police activity in northern France despite accounts of brutal violence against refugees.
“The Government should instead invest in rebuilding the UK’s asylum system so that it makes the right decision first time and without delay, clear the appeals backlog, and make sure survivors of torture and other refugees can recover and rebuild their lives.”
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