France is leading an EU attempt to squeeze eleventh-hour concessions out of Sir Keir Starmer ahead of a Brexit summit on Monday.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, is said to have demanded a “hard link” between separate deals on fishing rights and defence in an attempt to secure greater access to Britain’s coastal waters for French boats.

The rows over fishing rights came as the Prime Minister arrived at talks with more than 40 European leaders in Tirana.

Sir Keir will use meetings on the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit in the Albanian capital to urge his EU counterparts to soften their stance on the thorny issues of fishing rights, youth mobility and defence.

Rachel Reeves hailed the summit as a “step towards” a deeper partnership with the EU in an interview with The Guardian.

She added that claiming “trust” between the UK and EU means “we can get a better deal” and “there will be future areas in which we can do more.”

Arriving at the summit on Friday, the Prime Minister said it was an “important moment” for the UK that “will be measured in the benefits to the working people and their living standards”.

He added: “I’m positive as we go into Monday. It has been a busy day.”