French President Emmanuel Macron will announce on Thursday an offer to provide an additional 45 "surge" police officers to the United Kingdom to assist with the ongoing challenge of irregular migration via small boats. The announcement follows a meeting between Macron and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham at the British Museum on Wednesday.
During their meeting, while viewing the Bayeux Tapestry, which is on loan from France to the UK, Macron reportedly informed Burnham of his intention to increase police resources deployed to help manage the Channel crossings. The Sun newspaper highlighted the meeting with the headline "One in the eye for Andy," suggesting a critical perspective on Burnham's engagement.
The "small boats crisis" refers to the increasing number of asylum seekers and migrants attempting to cross the English Channel from continental Europe in small, often unseaworthy vessels. This issue has been a significant political concern for the UK government, leading to various policy proposals and international cooperation efforts.