Downing Street hit back at Emmanuel Macron last night after the French President condemned Rishi Sunak's flagship scheme to deport Channel migrants to Rwanda as a 'betrayal' of European values.

In an incendiary intervention, President Macron said he did not believe in 'this model that some people want to put in place, which means that you go and look for a third country, for example in Africa, and send our immigrants there'.

He suggested the scheme would be 'ineffective', adding: 'This is a betrayal of our values and will lead us down the path of new dependencies on third countries.'

Downing Street dismissed the claim, saying the plan was 'entirely compliant with our international obligations'.

Number 10 has dismissed claims by France that Rishi Sunak's Rwanda scheme is a 'betrayal' of European values

French president Emmanuel Macron said he did not believe in the model of sending immigrants to 'third countries'

Migrants are continuing to make small boat crossings despite the passing of the Rwanda scheme in Parliament earlier this week (file picture from March of migrants in the English Channel)

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: 'We don't agree, we think that our approach is the right one. In terms of breaking the business model of the criminal gangs, we need a strong deterrent.

'And we need to make clear that if you come here in a small boat, you won't be able to stay.

'We've seen other partners and other countries around the world also explore similar options.'

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Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel also criticised the French President, saying: 'President Macron is clearly worried that our partnership with Rwanda will mean that fewer migrants will attempt to cross the Channel and he will need to take responsibility for dealing with their asylum applications and with the criminal gangs that are running rife in France.'

The government's Rwanda Bill finally became law yesterday after months of delay, and a new treaty designed to ensure the African country is safe for migrants also came into force.

The moves mean that Home Office officials can now start detaining the first batch of migrants destined for deportation to Rwanda ahead of the first flights this summer.

Meanwhile, Ireland's foreign minister yesterday complained that the prospect of being sent to Rwanda was already persuading some migrants to flee to his country.

Micheal Martin said Mr Sunak's 'knee jerk' policy was driving an influx of arrivals, with 80 per cent of asylum seekers in Ireland crossing the border from the north.

'I believe the Rwanda effect is impacting on Ireland. And I think that didn't happen today or yesterday. It's been growing since the first iteration and publication of that strategy around Rwanda,' he said.

'I don't think anyone's gone to Rwanda yet but to me it's reflective of a policy. It is having real impact on Ireland now in terms of people being fearful in the UK - maybe that's the impact it was designed to have.'