Rishi Sunak: Prime Minister to come to Oxfordshire

The Prime Minister will host European leaders at the Woodstock palace in July for talks on supporting Ukraine and preventing unauthorised migration.

A date in spring had been expected but the European Political Community (EPC) summit will be held on Thursday, July 18.

Announcing the summit date on Tuesday, Mr Sunak said: “I am delighted that the UK will host the next European Political Community meeting at the historic Blenheim Palace.

Mr Sunak in Oxford in January. (Image: Frank Augstein/PA)

“It is an important forum for co-operation across the whole of Europe on the issues that are affecting us all, threatening our security and prosperity.

“From putting our full support behind Ukraine to stopping the scourge of people smuggling and illegal migration, under the UK’s leadership the meeting will bring together our European friends, partners, and neighbours to address our shared challenges.”

Rishi Sunak is coming to Blenheim Palace (Image: Blenheim Palace)Mr Sunak’s Conservative UK Government is looking to push through its hardline proposal to deport migrants arriving via small boats in the Channel to Rwanda.

Other European countries, such as Italy, have alternative immigration policies that will see asylum seekers processed by a partner country.

Downing Street expects that the gathering at the birthplace of war leader Sir Winston Churchill will see about 50 leaders from across the continent attend.

Mr Sunak during his last visit to Oxfordshire. (Image: PA/Frank Augstein)

This will be the second time in recent months that Mr Sunak has come to this county after his visit to Oxford in January following the excessive flooding.

He spoke to people on their doorsteps before visiting Environment Agency workers at their depot on Osney Island.

Addressing the media in front of the fast-moving River Thames, Mr Sunak said: “Flooding has been having a devastating impact on communities up and down the country.

“I was in the East Midlands last week on Thursday and I’m in Oxfordshire here today talking to some of those that have been affected, but also saying thank you to our first responders who were doing a fantastic job over the past week.

“We have over 1,000 Environment Agency personnel on the ground in local communities helping, over 200 pumps have been deployed.

“We’ve invested £5.2 billion in flood defences over the period in question – that’s a record sum, far more than we’ve done, in the future that’s contributed to protecting over 300,000 homes.

“And of course, there have been many people affected by what’s happened over the past week, but also over 49,000 have been affected by flooding.”

Blenheim Palace is the seat of the Duke of Marlborough and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.