UK and France discuss migration, EU cooperation after Bayeux Tapestry preview
Prime Minister Rishi Burnham hosted President Emmanuel Macron at Downing Street to tackle Channel crossings, EU integration and defence cooperation.
Rishi Burnham, who took office on 20 July, welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron to the historic black door of No. 10 Downing Street. The meeting followed a joint appearance with King Charles III and Queen Camilla at a preview of the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition in London.
Migration and security on the agenda
The leaders focused on the surge of small boats carrying undocumented migrants across the English Channel. Burnham announced that a "surge team" of 45 French officers will be deployed on southern English beaches in the coming weeks to intercept the larger, more powerful vessels now being used.
"It is a very important moment for relations between our two countries," President Macron said at the start of the talks.
Both sides said the recent drop in Channel crossings, the lowest summer figures since 2019, should be expanded across Europe to deter illegal migration.
EU ties and trade concerns
Burnham reiterated his desire to deepen post‑Brexit cooperation with the European Union, while refusing to abandon the current stance on the single market, customs union and free movement. He warned that the EU’s Made in Europe agenda, aimed at protecting continental steel, could pose challenges for the United Kingdom’s own steel industry.
Macron echoed the sentiment that "we do not always see eye to eye, but we respect each other and remain open to discussion", signalling a willingness to work through differences on trade and regulatory standards.
Defence and broader cooperation
Beyond migration, the two leaders discussed defence collaboration, including the potential establishment of local assembly lines in Ukraine for the SCALP long‑range missile, the French version of the UK’s Storm Shadow. They also touched on the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping.
Burnham highlighted the Bayeux Tapestry loan as a "huge personal gesture of goodwill, trust and friendship" from France, underscoring the cultural dimension of the partnership.
With the French president entering the final months of his term, the talks are likely to set the tone for the next phase of UK‑France relations, influencing migration policy, trade negotiations and security cooperation in the years ahead.
