Burnham, Macron talk border security and stronger Europe-UK ties

New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham discussed shared challenges successful his archetypal authoritative gathering with the French president.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron person held talks astir migration, the warfare successful Ukraine and commercialized during an authoritative gathering successful London.

The talks, held astatine Burnham’s Downing Street bureau connected Thursday, marked the archetypal clip the premier curate has hosted a European person since taking implicit the reins from erstwhile Labour Party person Keir Starmer connected July 20.

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Burnham and Macron discussed shared challenges, including tiny vessel crossings and the “emerging usage of mega dinghies” transporting undocumented migrants and asylum seekers to England’s southbound coast, according to a United Kingdom authorities property release.

Downing Street said the UK saw the lowest fig of tiny vessel arrivals since 2020, but “the authorities volition not halt bearing down connected the transgression gangs facilitating the unsafe crossings”, the connection said.

In response, the UK authorities said France volition deploy a “surge team” of 45 officers to the occidental beaches of France successful the coming weeks, gathering connected a woody signed successful April to curb unauthorised tiny vessel crossings successful the English Channel.

“The advancement we person seen this summertime shows what tin beryllium achieved erstwhile the UK and France enactment together,” Burnham said.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, right, meets French President Emmanuel Macron during a bilateral gathering astatine 10 Downing Street connected September 3, 2026, successful London, UK [Leon Neal/Reuters]

The British premier curate is besides seeking person post-Brexit practice with Europe successful a bid to boost sluggish home growth.

He has said Britain indispensable beryllium “bolder” successful getting person to the EU but has refused to scrap his predecessor’s rejection of rejoining the bloc’s azygous marketplace oregon customs national and returning to its interior state of question rules.

Complicating matters is interest that the EU’s Made successful Europe agenda, which seeks to support the alloy industries of states successful the 27-nation bloc, could harm Britain’s struggling alloy sector.

“The Prime Minister acceptable retired however the Made successful Europe docket could airs important challenges for UK industry,” a UK authorities spokesperson said.

Macron said it was a “very important moment” for relations betwixt the 2 countries, adding helium was “here with a willingness and a committedness to get person and closer”.

On the taxable of defence, Downing Street said the leaders discussed the adjacent steps connected establishing section assembly lines successful Ukraine for the long-range missile, SCALP, which uses British technology, and reflected connected the palmy Coalition of the Willing gathering successful Kyiv past week.