Politics latest: Starmer announces ‘groundbreaking’ one in, one out migration deal at press conference

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

While Keir Starmer is trying to paint a picture of friendship and warmth between the two of them, Emmanuel Macron is steely-eyed and straight faced. There is little warmth coming from the French president, as Starmer spends most of his speech talking up the close ties between their two countries.

While the PM keeps looking over at his French counterpart, Macron is staring straight out to the soldiers and journalists in the audience.

Sir Keir Starmer has announced what he described as a “groundbreaking” migrant returns pilot.

Speaking at the joint press conference with Emmanuel Macron, the British prime minister said: “I am pleased to announce our agreemtnt today of a groundbreaking returns pilot. For the very first time migrants arriving by small boat will be detained and returned to France.”

The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:

“Le love in” continues with Keir Starmer opening the press conference by underlining that Emmanuel Macron is not just a “firm friend of Britain” but “a firm friend of me personally”.

It is very much the image of Keir the international statesman that he wishes to cultivate.

He wants to be clear that he has personally turned around some of the relationships broken by Brexit.

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Starmer has struck a warm tone standing alongside Macron, saying the French president’s state visit has been a “celebration” of their relationship.

The UK prime minister tried to present a united front with the French president, dispelling any rumours of division, saying the migrant crisis is a shared crisis for “our two nations”.

Sir Keir Starmer has begun speaking as the joint press conference with Emmanuel Macron has finally got underway.

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Jonathan Powell, Sir Keir Starmer’s national security adviser, has taken his seat in the front row alongside Armed Forces chief Tony Radakin and other senior members of the British and French military.

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Two podiums are set up ready for Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron to deliver a joint press conference.

The briefing, which was beset by delays, is now due to start in just minutes. The room is packed out with journalists from both the British and French delegation, with the UK media particularly interested in what exactly the prime minister has agreed to on small boats.

If a deal has been agreed, the PM is likely to face a number of questions on exactly how much money he has given to France to get it over the line, and whether or not returning 50 people each week to France would be nearly enough to stop the boat crossings – which sometimes see hundreds of people arriving on a single day.

Members of the press have now been let into the conference room, suggesting Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron will soon speak.

The now 45-minute hold up comes after the two leaders held crunch negotiations in attempt to agree a “one-in-one-out” migrant returns deal.