On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron awarded British Prime Minister Keir Starmer France's highest honour, the Legion d'honneur, making him the first serving UK prime minister to receive it.

The award recognises Starmer's work establishing the Coalition, a group co-chaired by London and Paris comprising more than 30 countries pledging financial and military backing for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia.

On Tuesday, Starmer attended the Bastille Day parade in Paris, where British armed forces joined French counterparts on the Champs-Élysées for the first time in more than 20 years.

Starmer faces heated online debate over whether he 'deserves' the decoration, as he is due to step down on July 20 after losing the confidence of the Labour Party.

Macron praised Starmer's 'personal leadership' and 'decency', highlighting a diplomatic sea-change since Labour's return to power after 14 years of Conservative rule ended Britain's EU membership.