Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Channel migrants: Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson clash over crisis

Channel migrants: Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson clash over crisis

Emmanuel Macron has reacted angrily to Boris Johnson's public call for France to take back migrants who reach the UK.

The French president accused the UK prime minister of not being "serious" by making the call on Twitter, after the deaths of 27 people on Wednesday.

The diplomatic row erupted after France withdrew a summit invitation to Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The UK government urged it to reconsider, with the PM saying: "This is a problem we have to fix together."

Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany and the European Commission are due to attend Sunday's talks in Calais, which Mr Macron set up to deal with the recent surge in migrant crossings of the Channel.

The diplomatic spat comes as French fishermen are holding a day of action, including blockades, to disrupt cross-Channel traffic, in protest at post-Brexit fishing rights granted by the UK.

The sinking of an inflatable boat on Wednesday marked the biggest loss of life by drowning in the Channel in many years, with 17 men, seven women - one of whom was pregnant - and three children dying.

Ahead of Sunday's meeting, in a letter to Mr Macron on Thursday which was shared on Twitter, Mr Johnson set out five steps which he said could help avoid a repeat of the tragedy.

These included joint patrols, better use of technology such as sensors and radar, maritime patrols in each other's waters and stronger cooperation by intelligence services.

The letter also called for immediate work on a policy of returning migrants who reach the UK to France, alongside talks to establish a UK-EU returns agreement.

French boats blocked the entrance to the port of St Malo in protest at post-Brexit fishing rules


But the French government reacted furiously, withdrawing Ms Patel's invitation to the Calais meeting.

At a press conference on Friday, Mr Macron attacked Mr Johnson over the posting of the letter on Twitter, saying: "I spoke two days ago with Prime Minster Johnson in a serious way.

"For my part I continue to do that, as I do with all countries and all leaders. I am surprised by methods when they are not serious.

"We do not communicate from one leader to another on these issues by tweets and letters that we make public. We are not whistleblowers."

A French government spokesman accused Mr Johnson of saying different things in his conversation with Mr Macron and in the letter, adding: "We are sick of double-speak."


The UK insists the prime minister's letter was sincere, meant to be constructive, not combative.

But the French suspicion is that the letter was actually directed more at Mr Johnson's Conservative Party than Paris.

The French believe Mr Johnson is in an uncomfortable position with his supporters now, having promised that Brexit would mean "taking back control" of UK waters and borders.

The UK government insists the letter was sent in good faith.

Paris says such a delicate matter as migration, especially between France and post-Brexit UK, should be handled with care, away from the media glare.

But a Downing Street spokesman said: "We have spoken about many of these ideas before. The public understandably want to know what we are doing to prevent this happening again. We want to work closely with France."

"If you look at the tone of the letter, this is about deepening our co-operation," the spokesman added.

Home Office officials are still taking part in talks with their French counterparts in Paris on how to deal with the Channel crisis.

Reports from Calais say the two survivors of Wednesday's sinking - one Iraqi and the other Somali - have been discharged from hospital and are due to be questioned about how many people were on the boat.

For Labour, shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds accused the prime minister of a "grave error of judgement" in sending the letter and of having "completely lost control of the situation in the Channel".

But Conservative MP Tim Loughton, a member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, called France's decision not to invite Ms Patel to the Calais meeting "incredible", adding that Mr Johnson's letter had been "perfectly reasonable".



Transport Secretary Grant Shapps: "I hope that the French will reconsider"


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×