What really stands out about Macron’s State Visit to the UK is that the agenda reflects that of the landmark UK-France summit, held in early 2023. After more than two-and-a-half years and a change in government, Britain’s core interests with France have remained constant: energy, defence and – crucially – migration.
More precisely, it is the fraught issue of small boat crossings which will continue to dominate the headlines of this visit. For many citizens, there are few greater symbols of state failure than an inability to police the nation’s borders.
