The British and French leaders are set to step up security in the fight against small-boat gangs after they met in No 10 Downing Street on Thursday.Andy Burnham used his first meeting as Prime Minister with another national leader to agree to escalate the bilateral battle against the northward flow illegal immigrants across the English Channel. President Emmanuel Macron has agreed to deploy “a surge team of 45 officers on France’s western beaches”, targeting launch sites and “mega dinghies” used by people smugglers to cross the English Channel. Mr Burnham said cooperation between both countries was clearly working and operational teams were making headway on driving down numbers and reducing crossings. "It was now vital to ensure that success was scaled up across Europe to deter illegal migration, the leaders agreed," according to a Downing Street readout of the meeting.King Charles III, left, looks on as France's President Emmanuel Macron meets Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham in London. AFPShow caption: King Charles III, left, looks on as France's President Emman…The leaders, who alongside King Charles III met on Wednesday night at the unveiling of the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition at the British Museum in London, also discussed the need for de-escalation in the Strait of Hormuz. They have previously agreed plans for an Anglo-French-led naval mission to help restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, providing security for commercial shipping as soon as circumstances permit. But their chief focus was on migrant crossings, with France tripling policing resources on the coast to combat gangs that have adapted their tactics by moving launch sites to other parts of the French coast. The two countries are expanding a specialist French intelligence and judicial unit from 18 to 30 officers, while a new 75-strong specialist unit dedicated to combating small boats is now operating in northern France. The total number of French officers deployed to tackle illegal Channel crossings is now around 1,050. The leaders' meeting comes after a summer in which Britain recorded its lowest number of small boat crossings in seven years. “The progress we have seen this summer shows what can be achieved when the UK and France work together,” Mr Burnham said. “But I am clear that 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.” Britain's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said more than 48,000 attempts to cross the English Channel had been prevented under the £660 million ($890 million) UK-French agreement, which she said was “bearing fruit”. But the main opposition Conservative party has dismissed the arrangement as a “joke”, alleging that poor weather was primarily responsible for the decline in Channel crossings. Ships are seen anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran. The UK and France will discuss ways to reimpose freedom of navigation in the waterway. Getty ImagesShow caption: Ships are seen anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coas…The talks took place place as the Middle East faces escalation in the war, with the US launching strikes against Iranian targets this week, and Tehran responding with missile and drone attacks against American bases in the region. President Donald Trump said the renewed US campaign would not continue for “too long”, although he warned his forces were ready to strike Iran again. “We’re prepared to do another one any time we want,” Mr Trump said, after claiming US forces had destroyed Iranian radar, missile and mine-laying equipment around the Strait of Hormuz. Ukraine also featured prominently in the discussions, after Mr Burnham and Mr Macron co-chaired a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing last week. The two leaders also discussed the future of the UK's relationship with the European Union, with Mr Burnham setting out how the current deal could pose significant challenges for UK industry. The French government is understood to want to concentrate on defence, the economy and energy before turning to migration and the UK-EU relationship.