French police deployed to disrupt mega dinghies as Burnham and Macron meet
France’s president is the first European leader to visit the UK since Andy Burnham took office.
The UK and France are boosting police officer numbers on the French coast to stop “mega dinghies” from launching across the English Channel, Downing Street said as Andy Burnham prepared to host Emmanuel Macron.
The Prime Minister will welcome the French president to No 10 on Thursday for their first bilateral meeting.
Ahead of the talks, Mr Burnham said the two countries must “stay one step ahead” of the criminals’ evolving tactics as he vowed not to be “complacent” after a fall in the number of small boat arrivals.
While the combined total number of boat crossings over the summer months has dropped to its lowest since 2019, smugglers appear to have started loading more people on to fewer, larger vessels.
No 10 said measures to counter the trend include deploying a surge team of 45 officers to French western beaches in the coming weeks, almost tripling resources in the area.
A specialist French intelligence and judicial team seeking to root out and prosecute smuggling networks has grown from 18 to 30 officers.
And a new 75-strong unit focused on curbing crossings has begun operations in northern France, taking the total number of officers to nearly 1,050.
Mr Burnham said in a statement: “The progress we have seen this summer shows what can be achieved when the UK and France work together.
“But I am clear that we cannot be complacent. Smuggling gangs are constantly adapting their tactics, and the UK and France need to respond quickly and stay one step ahead of the criminals facilitating the dangerous crossings.
“The small boats crisis is a shared European challenge, and no country can solve it alone. Working with France and our international partners, we will restore order and control to our borders and prevent smugglers exploiting vulnerable migrants.”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “We are boosting officer numbers to record highs to crack down on small boat launches and the gangs behind them.
“This work is bearing fruit. Over 48,000 crossing attempts have been prevented, small boat crossing numbers are down and removals of those here illegally are at record levels.
“But we are not complacent and we must be relentless. We will continue efforts on all fronts to tackle these illegal and dangerous crossings.”
As well as migration, Mr Burnham and Mr Macron will discuss the Ukraine and Iran wars and their impact on Europe’s security and economy, No 10 said.
The Prime Minister will push for greater co-operation with Europe, Downing Street said, as he looks set to continue his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer’s policy of a “reset” of UK-EU relations.
During Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Burnham reiterated that Britain’s decade of low growth “has been partly a result of Brexit”.
“I do want a closer relationship – I will build on the work of my predecessor,” he told MPs, ahead of a UK-EU summit later in the year.
Mr Macron is the first European leader to visit the UK since Mr Burnham took office in July.
The pair joined the King and the Queen to visit the Bayeux Tapestry at London’s British Museum on Wednesday.