May promises to speed up Calais migration claims

Emmanuel Macron has just given Britain a masterclass in diplomacy. “I want to make sure the Single Market is preserved because that’s at the heart of the European Union”, the president said.

He added that while Britain and France were heading in different directions as a result of Brexit, both governments are keen to show that they will continue to work closely together.

Britain, not a member of Europe’s visa-free Schengen Area that includes 26 countries, wanted new measures to stop the entry of non-EU citizens without a visa. There can be no differentiated access to the financial services.

Calais has always been a sore point in French-British relations, and Macron on Wednesday called for better cooperation in managing the border with Britain ahead of his first trip to London as president.

‘Entente chaleureuse’ The leaders capped the summit at an evening reception at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, where they spoke of celebrating the two countries’ shared history and values.

Amid a sudden hailstorm, Macron and May inspected the honor guard before taking a salute from soldiers on horseback.

Repeated crackdowns by French police have reduced the number of migrants in Calais to around 500 from some 5,000 and Macron promised on a visit to the port Tuesday that he’d never allow the so-called “jungle” camp to be re-established.

Britain has agreed to fund an extra £45million to improve border controls at Calais and other French ports. Britain eventually took in 769 children, with France giving asylum to 893.

It isn’t now known which venue will be lucky enough to host the tapestry, but The Times have reported it could be five years before it arrives in Britain.

Britain was expected to pledge to send three Chinook helicopters to Mali to provide logistical support for a French counter-terrorism operation and to participate in a new European defence initiative, the European Intervention Initiative.

France has led efforts to fight al-Qaeda and IS-linked jihadi groups in the vast region south of the Sahara desert.

For France, a decline in the importance of the U.K.’s finance hub presents an opportunity to poach jobs from the City of London.

The announcement will be made during the upcoming meeting between May and French President Emmanuel Macron later on Thursday, The Guardian newspaper reported. He also wants a common European defense budget and security doctrine.

Aside from addressing immigration controls, the United Kingdom government is also to announce extra military contributions to France’s anti-terror operations in Mali as well as an aid package of 50 million pounds dedicated to improving stability in the African Sahel region. It is Macron’s first visit to Britain since assuming office in May past year.

In contrast, British politicians involved in the Brexit process have been calling our European allies “the enemy” (Philip Hammond), telling them to “go whistle” (Boris Johnson) and warning against trying to “administer punishment beatings” in the style of “some World War Two movie” (Boris, again).

“We are somehow making a new tapestry together”, Macron said, rejecting any suggestion that it was meant to remind Britain of a victorious France.