Emmanuel Macron said British people had been “sold a lie” as he blamed Brexit for the Channel migrant crisis. Mr Macron spoke out as he and Sir Keir Starmer unveiled the ‘one in, one out’ deal aimed at returning Channel migrants to France.

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”.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron announced tougher migration controls on Thursday, ending a state visit with deals on defence, nuclear cooperation and plans to support Ukraine in case of a ceasefire.

French President Emmanuel Macron was invited to give a speech to MPs and peers during his state visit, who gathered in the packed-out Royal Gallery in Parliament

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.

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 ”.

As the UK and France plan to start sending some arrivals back, in exchange for other asylum seekers, the BBC sees 220 migrants arrive in Dover.