Ammon News - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will announce tougher migration controls on Thursday, capping a state visit when they agreed to deeper defence and nuclear cooperation in a more volatile world.

After hosting Macron for a three-day visit that included a carriage procession to Windsor Castle with King Charles and a state banquet, Starmer wants Macron to deliver on his promise of greater "cooperation and tangible results" on migration.

Starmer, who has faced challenges to his popularity since his election landslide last year, is working to address high levels of immigration, including asylum seekers arriving by small boats, to try to stem the growing influence of the Reform UK party, led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage.

Before the start of Thursday's summit, Starmer, sitting next to Macron at his Downing Street office, said: "We all agree the situation in the Channel cannot go on as it is."

"We're bringing new tactics into play and a new level of intent to tackle illegal migration and break the business model of a criminal gang," he said.

Macron said the two countries "shared the same resolve to fight against illegal criminal gangs, with strong coordination with other EU states."

A British government source said Britain and France had agreed a deal on a "one in, one out" migrant returns scheme - which would see Britain deporting to France undocumented people arriving in small boats, in return for an equal number of legitimate asylum seekers with UK family connections.

The government source said it would initially be limited, but could be scaled up. Local media reported that Britain would send back 2,600 people a year, a fraction of the more than 35,000 arrivals reported by the government last year.

The importance of the deal will be highlighted as a change in efforts to tackle migration by Starmer, who, like Macron, is facing domestic woes, but it was not clear whether the agreement would come with conditions or have a big impact. Reuters