Emmanuel Macron is pressuring Keir Starmer to recognise Palestine as a state, the „Daily Telegraph“ reports.
The French president will be in the UK for a three-day state visit next week, which will include an address to both houses of parliament.
The central political event of the visit is expected to be a deal to return migrants on a „one in, one out“ basis, aiming to limit the record number of small boat crossings of the English Channel this year.
Joint work on civil nuclear projects is also expected to be announced and there will be further planning for a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine following a possible ceasefire.
„Daily Telegraph“ However, Downing Street and the Elysee Palace are reportedly at odds over the speed and approach to formally recognizing a Palestinian state. The issue is expected to be discussed in private talks.
The public position of both governments is to take the step at the right time, but there are disagreements over how and when to do so, according to multiple British government sources.
Macron is leading the charge for a recent announcement, having helped organize a UN conference to discuss the issue last month, but the meeting in New York was canceled when Israel launched air strikes on Iran.