Amid continuing tensions among the European powers over how to respond to US President Donald Trump’s zig-zagging policy towards NATO and the Ukraine war, the French president and British prime minister made their latest effort to present an Anglo-French axis.

After Mr Macron says small boat crossings have got worse since Brexit because the UK has no migratory agreement with the EU, the Reform UK leader accuses Mr Macron of "arrogance" - and says the UK was struggling with illegal migration even when it was a member of the EU.

Yvette Cooper has refused to say whether she agreed with Emmanuel Macron ’s claim that Brexit had made tackling illegal immigration harder. It comes after the French president said voters were “sold a lie” on Brexit when they were told it would “make it possible to fight more effectively against illegal immigration ”.

King Charles III will highlight the crucial bonds between the United Kingdom and France in the face of a “multitude of complex threats” as he welcomes President Emmanuel Macron for the first state visit by a European leader since Brexit.

President Emmanuel Macron has called for Britain and France to move on from Brexit and work “side by side” on issues including migration and defence, declaring “let’s not allow the Channel to grow wider”.

President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Britain, which began Tuesday, is heavy on pageantry. But both he and Prime Minister Keir Starmer hope for practical results.

Emmanuel Macron launched a furious attack on Brexit during a joint press conference with Sir Keir Starmer. The French president blamed the UK's exit from the EU for the Channel crisis as the Prime Minister unveiled a new one-in, one-out migrant returns deal.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has refused to say how many migrants would be returned to France under a deal announced last night. Ms Cooper said the figures had not been “fixed” and she would “provide updates as we go” after Sir Keir Starmer hailed the agreement as “ groundbreaking ”.