Rishi Sunak met Emmanuel Macron, the French president, earlier today at the COP27 climate talks in Egypt to discuss the issue, with the prime minister saying he left “with renewed confidence and optimism”. Mr Sunak also told reporters there would be “more details in the coming weeks”. But pressed on those details later, his official spokesman revealed that a deal was close to being done and talks on the details were taking place separately, indicating that Home Office officials would be involved. Live policy updates: Sunak backs Williamson despite ‘unacceptable’ texts Almost 40,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel so far this year. Reports claim that Sounac wants to agree targets with Macron on boat stops and a minimum number of French officers patrolling beaches, while he also wants to be able to deploy Border Force officers to France. The prime minister said he was “determined to handle” the situation, but added that “there is not a simple solution that will solve it overnight”, pledging to work with other European leaders on the “shared challenge”. Speaking after the meeting, the French president also said he wanted better coordination between the two countries to deal with the issue. Earlier, Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer said he would “work upstream” with Mr Macron “to stop the smugglers in the first place” if he was prime minister, adding: “Before I was a politician I was director of public prosecutions, I know that. how these cross-border businesses work. “That’s the conversation I would have, I hope it’s the conversation our prime minister will have.” Manston focus The migrant crisis was brought into focus last week by reports of overcrowding at the Manston processing center in Kent, where 4,000 people who had made the crossing were packed into a space designed to hold 1,600 people. It led to mounting pressure on Mr Sunak to reappoint Interior Minister Suella Braverman over allegations she ignored legal advice and prevented people from being transferred to hotels – charges she denies. Speaking in the Commons this afternoon, Sir Roger Gale, the veteran Tory MP who had described the situation at Manston as an “abuse of human conditions”, said: “We are now almost back to where we need to be with the Manston processing center which works effectively”. But he sought reassurance from Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, that “Manston is a processing center and not a reception centre”. Mr Jenrick said the numbers were now down to less than 1,600 and it was not the Government’s “intention to turn Manston into a permanent migrant accommodation site”. He said: “The population has now returned to an acceptable level and this is a significant achievement.” and to plan accordingly”. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 0:28 North Thanet Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale told Sky News last week that the situation at the Manston migrant center was a “breach of human conditions”. But fellow Tory MP Lee Anderson said the provision of housing for “illegal immigrants” left a “bitter taste” in his throat. He added: “I have 5,000 people in Ashfield who want to get council housing and can’t find one. However, we are here to once again discuss this nonsense. “The onus is on that place right now – when are we going to go back and do the right thing and send them straight back on the same day?” Mr Jenrick said the government “should be guided by our shared desire for decency, because those are our values, but also by hard common sense”.
