Burnham and Macron Coordinate Surge to Stop Mega-Dinghies

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in London for their first bilateral meeting on Thursday. The leaders are coordinating a surge of police resources on the French coast to combat mega-dinghies, which are larger vessels used by smugglers to transport hundreds of migrants across the English Channel.

France is deploying a 45-officer surge team to western beaches and a 75-strong unit in northern France, bringing the total officer count to nearly 1,050. This expansion follows a deal established under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, through which the United Kingdom agreed to pay France £661 million over three years to curb crossings. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood reported that over 48,000 crossing attempts have been prevented, though officials warn that smuggling gangs are adapting their tactics.

While total boat crossing numbers have dropped to their lowest since 2019, over 14,000 people have made the journey so far this year. Beyond migration, the leaders are discussing winter support for Ukraine, peace efforts in the Middle East, and the impact of conflicts in Ukraine and Iran on European security. Prime Minister Burnham is also seeking a reset of UK-EU relations, attributing a decade of low British growth partly to Brexit.