British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron met over lunch on Wednesday to discuss renewed cooperation on curbing irregular migration, with both leaders expressing support for “a new deterrent” to tackle the rising number of small boat crossings into the UK.
According to a Downing Street statement, the two leaders agreed on the need for “shared solutions” to address the ongoing migrant crisis in the English Channel. The meeting, which took place ahead of the more formal UK-France summit scheduled for Thursday, served as an opportunity for both sides to align on key policy objectives, ranging from defence to trade, but it was the issue of migration that took centre stage.
The idea, reportedly gaining traction, is a “one in, one out” return scheme. Under this arrangement, migrants who arrive in the UK through irregular means would be promptly returned to France. In exchange, the UK would take in a similar number of asylum seekers already based in France. Starmer is reportedly lobbying Macron to consider this approach as a balanced framework that would maintain humane asylum practices while deterring smugglers.
However, not all European countries support this model. Last month, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Malta sent a joint letter to the European Commission raising concerns that such an arrangement might incentivise increased irregular migration into their own southern borders. The idea of redistributing asylum seekers has long been a contentious issue across the continent.
Joint Deterrent Sought Against Smuggling
Downing Street’s summary of the leaders’ discussion stated: “The leaders agreed tackling the threat of irregular migration and small boat crossings is a shared priority that requires shared solutions.” It further noted that Prime Minister Starmer underscored his administration’s recent crackdown on unlawful employment practices, describing it as a “massive surge in illegal working arrests to end the false promise of jobs that are used to sell spaces on boats.”
The Downing Street communique also touched on energy cooperation. Starmer welcomed the announcement that French energy giant EDF would acquire a 12.5% stake in the UK’s Sizewell C nuclear project. This move is expected to bolster the domestic energy supply, lower electricity costs, and create new employment opportunities.
In addition to migration and energy, Starmer and Macron reportedly discussed the broader strategic partnership between the two nations. According to the UK government, “they shared their desire to deepen our partnership further – from joint leadership in support of Ukraine to strengthening our defence collaboration and increasing bilateral trade and investment.”
On the matter of irregular migration, the No. 10 statement added: “The two leaders agreed on the need to go further and make progress on new and innovative solutions, including a new deterrent to break the business model of these gangs.”
While exact policy measures have yet to be confirmed, Thursday’s 37th UK-France summit may yield more concrete outcomes. Both leaders are expected to make public statements following the summit’s conclusion.
For now, the emphasis is on framing the issue not only as a bilateral concern but as a regional challenge that requires coordinated, humane, and enforceable responses. Starmer’s push for a fresh returns mechanism signals his commitment to confronting the problem with a pragmatic blend of enforcement and diplomacy, though convincing other European partners to embrace the plan remains a diplomatic hurdle.
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