British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron held a meeting in London, focusing on border security and strengthening ties with Europe. The discussion included migration challenges, the war in Ukraine, and trade, marking the first time Burnham has hosted a European leader since taking office.
The meeting addressed small boat crossings and the use of mega dinghies for undocumented migrants, with the UK reporting the lowest number of small boat arrivals since 2020. France will deploy 45 officers to the western beaches of France to curb unauthorized crossings, as part of a deal to reduce illegal crossings in the English Channel.
Burnham and Macron agreed to work together to protect shared interests, with Burnham noting the EU's Made in Europe agenda could pose challenges for UK industry. The leaders also discussed the establishment of local assembly lines in Ukraine for the SCALP missile, using British technology, following a successful Coalition of the Willing meeting in Kyiv.