Macron's state visit: Starmer and French president to discuss defence and migration
French President Emmanuel Macron kicks off a three-day state visit to the UK on Tuesday, becoming the first European leader to do so since Brexit.
The visit will include formal discussions on migration and is seen by many as a move to repair UK-EU relations.
Macron and his wife Brigitte will be hosted by the King and Queen at Windsor.
The last state visit to the UK by a French president was in March 2008, when President Nicolas Sarkozy was a guest of Queen Elizabeth II.
During his visit, the French president is set to address parliamentarians in the Palace of Westminster’s Royal Gallery and, on Thursday, join a UK-France Summit at Downing Street.
Sir Keir Starmer will be hoping to use the event to make significant progress in several areas, including illegal migration and defence.
As well as small boats crossing the English Channel, security and economic growth are among the top issues on the agenda for the meeting, Number 10 indicated.
On Tuesday evening, the King will deliver a speech at a glittering banquet in the historic Berkshire landmark, highlighting how “these challenges know no borders: no fortress can protect us against them this time”.
He will tell Macron that Britain and France can help lead the way in confronting threats relating to defence, technology and climate change, saying: “Our two nations share not only values, but also the tireless determination to act on them in the world.”
As well as the usual pomp and ceremony associated with the royal-hosted occasion, there will be hopes that Starmer can score some political victories at the same time. So, what is on the agenda for the two leaders to discuss?
Defence
ITV News understands defence is one topic up for discussion, with both Starmer and Macron key players in the "coalition of the willing," the alliance set up to ostensibly bolster Ukraine's defence.
Progress on peace talks between Ukraine and Russia appears to have slowed, and whilst the coalition of the willing remains aligned in principle, there will be hopes this trip can breathe life into the alliance.
Both France and the UK are committed members of Nato, the alliance which, under pressure from the US President Donald Trump, recently announced its members' commitment to boost defence spending to 5% of GDP.
Asked about the progress of the coalition, Downing Street said the UK and allies' support for Ukraine remains "steadfast".
The Home Secretary reacts to ITV News' filming of small boat crossings back in May
Small boat crossings
Some of that 5% defence spending is made up of border security measures, which will partly tackle migration.
Small boat crossings remain a major issue for the government as they did for the government before them. ITV News has reported on efforts by French officials to stop the people smugglers making these crossings.
Reacting to ITV News' filming in May, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as “not what we want to see."
That said, recent days have seen signs of French authorities ramping up efforts to combat this, getting more involved in proactively stopping boats attempting the journey.
Following footage of French police slashing dinghies with knives in shallow waters, Cabinet minister Heidi Alexander said on Tuesday that such new tactics by French police were uncomfortable to watch but necessary.
She told ITV News: "I must admit it wasn't pleasant watching those scenes, but surely the best thing to do is to stop those boats leaving the French shores in the first place.
"These are sophisticated international criminal gangs that are smuggling people across the Channel. They have adapted their tactics. It's right that we adapt our tactics toon cooperation with the French."
On reported plans of a "one in, one out" deal with France on returning asylum seekers, Alexander said she would not speculate on the details of the talks between Starmer and Macron this week.
A government spokesperson said on Monday that whilst "we've never underestimated the scale of problems," the UK was the first to have "secured an agreement from the French to review their maritime tactics to intervene in shallow waters."
ITV News understands the two leaders will carve out some time to address this further, with previous reporting of agreements for the UK to take a share of migrants making the crossing in exchange for more proactive efforts to stop people smugglers on the French side of the Channel.
Whether or not any deal between the two countries would involve money changing hands is unknown, with a spokesperson for Number 10 saying: "We only ever provide funding that delivers on priorities of the British public."
US-UK-EU relationship
Looming over much of global politics - the US President Donald Trump.
The relationship is reportedly a source of consternation for France and the UK with critics of the other's approach existing on both sides.
Notably, Macron's state visit supersedes Trump's much-trailed and as yet unscheduled, "unprecedented" second royal visit, as the French leader jumps the queue to be the first received by King Charles in this capacity.
As the deadline for Trump's tariff reprieve approaches this Wednesday, European countries will undoubtedly have one eye on what the UK is prepared to place on the table in an effort to repel them. With the Wednesday deadline clashing with Macron's visit, it is a likely topic for the pair to touch on.
Any other business?
It is understood that Macron will also meet with Kemi Badenoch and Ed Davey, though Reform UK leader Nigel Farage appears to have been left out of the French President's diary.
Asked about this decision, Number 10 referred enquiries to the Élysée, largely in control of Macron's diary.
Reform MP Richard Tice described the decisions as an "outrageous and deliberate snub."
With small boats, a major topic of discussion between the two countries, Tice added: "If Macron was confident of his handling of the small boats issue, he would happily meet with Nigel."
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