Burnham urged to stop stitch-up as French promise just 45 more small boat cops on day Bayeux Tapestry displayed in UK

Andy Burnham was last night urged to prevent a stitch-up by the French after viewing the returned Bayeux Tapestry. President Emmanuel Macron will today promise just 45 extra cops for the small-boats crisis. Andy Burnham is being urged to avoid being stitched up by President Emmanuel Macron over small boats as the French leader offers just 45 extra cops to prevent crossings Credit: Reuters A section of the Bayeux Tapestry, which is now in Britain for a short time, showing the Duke of Normandy’s invasion fleet crossing the Channel to England in 1066 Credit: Getty He and the PM were at the British Museum to see the medieval embroidery depicting King Harold getting shot in the eye with an arrow in 1066. They then held talks, with Mr Burnham urged to confront Mr Macron over a Dunkirk detention centre that is still incomplete, despite being paid for by the UK three years ago. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! It was part of a £1billion package announced under the Tories and extended by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “It’s shocking that it’s not operational. Forget the Bayeux Tapestry, this is a stitch-up.” PM Andy Burnham greets the French president at the Bayeux Tapestry event in London Credit: AFP The King and Queen join the leaders at the British Museum event Credit: AP No10 will hail a fall in Channel crossings, with this summer seeing the fewest since 2020. But more than 16,000 migrants have arrived this year amid a change in tactics by gangs, with a record 230 on a mega-dinghy last month. An extra 45 French cops are to be sent to beaches to help. An intelligence and judicial unit is also rising from 18 to 30 officers. But Mr Philp claimed he recently witnessed ten armed French cops “standing around doing nothing” as around 100 migrants boarded a boat. Most read in The Sun French cops fail to act as a packed dinghy gets stranded in the shallows in Hardelot, France Credit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd Migrants in life jackets on a mega dinghy bound for the UK Credit: AFP He said: “A gendarme said they had orders not to intervene. The £660million we pay should be withheld until they stop all embarkations in shallow waters.” Meanwhile, the future of the controversial “one in, one out” returns deal is also said to be under threat. It was extended into autumn, with the Home Office saying more than 1,400 arrivals have been removed. But French reports say Paris has been pushing for it to be scrapped in the longer term. The PM insists the latest figures show cooperation is working, but he added: “We cannot be complacent. Smuggling gangs are constantly adapting their tactics, and the UK and France need to respond quickly and stay one step ahead.” Cops and firefighters at a beach in Wimereux where 80 migrants squeezed onto a boat Credit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp claimed he recently witnessed ten armed French cops ‘standing around doing nothing’ as around 100 migrants boarded a boat Credit: PA Ms Mahmood said: “We are boosting officer numbers to record highs to crack down on small boat launches and the gangs behind them.” 1 comment1