UK and France vow to tackle migrant boats

The UK and France person pledged to boost co-operation to tackle migrant crossings successful the English Channel, Downing Street has said.

Rishi Sunak held his archetypal call, since becoming premier minister, with President Emmanuel Macron connected Friday.

No 10 said the 2 men expressed a committedness to "deepening" their enactment to deter the "deadly journeys."

A connection from the Elysée Palace aft the telephone made nary circumstantial notation of migrant boats.

There person already been promises to deepen co-operation earlier successful October, aft then-Prime Minister Liz Truss met with Mr Macron successful Prague earlier this month.

The brace pledged an "ambitious bundle of measures" to beryllium announced this autumn.

Downing Street has refused to springiness details connected immoderate aboriginal plans oregon erstwhile an announcement volition beryllium made.

But Mr Sunak is said to person "stressed the value for some nations to marque the Channel way wholly unviable for radical traffickers".

In 2021, the UK agreed to wage France £54m to boost patrols on France's bluish coast.

It has been claimed that the French "pulled the plug" connected a draught statement backmost successful the summer, aft Liz Truss said the "jury's out" on whether Emmanuel Macron was a person oregon foe.

The Elysée has antecedently declined to remark portion Ms Truss and Mr Macron appeared to spot things up aft their October gathering successful Prague.

The caller premier curate chose connected Friday to onslaught a markedly lukewarm code towards the French president.

Following their telephone call, No 10 emphasized areas of co-operation - including clime change, defence, the warfare successful Ukraine and energy.

According to Downing Street, Mr Sunak "stressed the value helium places connected the UK's narration with France - our neighbour and ally".

The Elysée said Mr Macron spoke of his willingness to deepen ties successful defence and energy.

The UK and France person clashed successful caller years implicit post-Brexit sportfishing rights, the AUKUS information pact and migration.

In November 2021, 27 radical died successful the worst-recorded migrant calamity successful the Channel.

But the UK was disinvited from a ministerial gathering connected the contented aft Mr Macron accused Boris Johnson - premier curate astatine the clip - of not being serious.

There is speculation that Mr Sunak whitethorn forge a much affirmative narration with the French president than his 2 predecessors.

They are adjacent successful age, often seen arsenic "slick" successful quality and worked successful banking earlier turning to politics.

"I deliberation successful presumption of style, they're rather compatible," says Lord Ricketts, who antecedently served arsenic the UK's ambassador to France.

However the cross-bench adjacent notes that successful substance, they're a agelong mode isolated connected definite issues.

Mr Sunak was a Brexit protagonist successful 2016 portion Emmanuel Macron is passionately pro-European.

The caller premier curate has besides signalled helium intends to propulsion up with definite policies, powerfully disliked by the Elysée.

They see sending asylum seekers to Rwanda and pursuing authorities that could let ministers to override parts of the post-Brexit woody for Northern Ireland.

"But astatine slightest there'll beryllium a much superior dialog than determination ever was nether Boris Johnson, provided Rishi Sunak tin enactment distant from utilizing France arsenic governmental football," says Lord Ricketts.

In August, earlier leaving Downing Street, Boris Johnson said Emmanuel Macron was a "très bon buddy" and described the UK-France narration arsenic 1 of "huge importance."

A France-UK acme volition spell up adjacent year.