- Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed that tackling small boat crossings in the English Channel is a shared priority requiring joint solutions.
- Following their meeting at Downing Street on Wednesday, the leaders committed to further action and innovative deterrents to disrupt the business model of people-smuggling gangs.
- While the UK presses for tougher French enforcement, Mr Macron emphasised the need for Britain to address "pull factors" attracting migrants.
- No 10 indicated the leaders would aim for “concrete progress” on the matter at a summit on Thursday.
- The discussions come as the number of people crossing the English Channel in 2025 has already exceeded 21,000, marking a record for this point in the year.
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