Burnham presses Macron on Channel crossings at Downing Street
Emmanuel Macron arrived at 10 Downing Street for talks with Andy Burnham, who used the meeting to press the French president for greater action against Channel migrant crossings. The visit, marked by a red carpet welcome for Macron and his wife Brigitte, comes as Burnham seeks to build on this summer's fall in crossing numbers and explore closer UK-EU ties ahead of an autumn summit.
The two leaders are set to announce a British-funded French police "surge team" to combat the rise of "mega-dinghies" capable of carrying up to 230 migrants, though government sources concede this amounts to just 45 additional officers. Burnham is also expected to push for an extension of the "one in, one out" returns deal, which has so far removed fewer than 30 illegal migrants a week. Conservatives dismissed the plans as a "joke", attributing the recent drop in crossings to poor weather rather than policy.
In short
- Macron met Burnham in No10 to discuss Channel crossings and closer EU ties
- New French police "surge team" funded by UK will add just 45 officers
- Tories dismiss plans, blame weather for summer's fall in crossings
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A stronger French police presence and a wider returns deal could disrupt people-smuggling networks and make crossings less attractive, while building on the recent fall in numbers. Supporters may also see closer UK-EU cooperation as necessary because the crossings involve both countries and cannot be managed effectively by Britain alone.
The case against
Critics can argue that 45 extra officers and a returns scheme removing fewer than 30 people a week are too limited to change smugglers’ calculations or deter crossings. If the recent decline mainly reflects poor weather, presenting it as evidence that the approach is working risks overstating its impact and delaying more effective measures.
Explained simply
The English Channel is a narrow stretch of water between Britain and France. Some people seeking to reach the UK cross it in small boats, often in dangerous conditions. The crossings are a longstanding issue for both governments, which work together on border enforcement and the safety of people at sea.
Emmanuel Macron is France’s president, and Andy Burnham is the UK figure named in this report. The UK and France have made agreements to fund French police work along the coast and to return some people who cross to Britain, while allowing some people to travel in the opposite direction. The issue matters to both countries’ border policies and to their wider relationship with the EU.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Macron arrives at No10 for talks as Burnham pleads for more French action against Channel boats and pushes Brexit ‘reset’”.