Anglo-French summit to discuss illegal immigration

Plans for a crackdown on illegal cross-Channel immigration will be discussed today by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy at an Anglo-French summit.

The UK hopes the meeting, in the French town of Evian-les-Bains, will secure a deal for the UK to help with detection technology to counter people smuggling, sources said.

Agreement will also be sought on action to tackle the world economic downturn, ahead of the summit of G8 nations which starts in Italy on Wednesday.

And that could include new threats from two nations to impose tough sanctions on tax havens which refuse to sign up to new rules agreed earlier this year by the G20.

The immigration issue was thrust back into the spotlight last week when the United Nations refugee agency opened an office in Calais to deal with around 1,600 migrants trying to get to the UK.

It is trying to persuade the “undocumented aliens” – many of them trafficked children living in squalid camps on the outskirts of the port – that they will be sent home if they are caught illegally in Britain and should claim asylum in France if they are genuinely fleeing persecution.

Although the problem is nothing like on the scale of the estimated 68,000 who passed through the controversial Sangatte reception centre several years ago, it has led to serious concerns.

On the global economy, Mr Brown will hope to secure support from Mr Sarkozy for his attempts to warn nations against complacency despite suggestions the worst of the downturn may be over.

Subdued bank lending, soaring oil prices, significant drops in world trade, falling private investment and a predicted rise in world unemployment of 38 million by the end of the year were all warning signs that the global economy remained at a “pivotal point”, Mr Brown is to warn fellow leaders.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss the latest developments in Iran, including pan-EU action in protest at the detention and possible trial of British embassy members of staff, and Burma.