The murder of eleven-year-old Lyhanna in a small French town has ignited fury across the Channel. Paris is reeling. The child was found in a wooded area near her home. Local media report signs of sexual assault. The suspect, a 35-year-old man known to police, is in custody.
Number 10 moved fast. A Downing Street source tells me the UK has offered forensic assistance to French authorities. This is not just a gesture. It is a calculated signal. Post-Brexit, the UK needs to show it remains a reliable European partner. The offer will test the new bilateral relationship.
The Home Office is coordinating with the National Crime Agency. The offer covers DNA analysis and digital forensics. French officials are said to be 'open' to the proposal. A formal response is expected within hours.
Inside the Lobby, this is being read as a message to allies: Britain still has skin in the game. But there is also a domestic angle. The government is under pressure on law and order. A high-profile cross-border cooperation story plays well with the public.
I am told the PM was briefed at 0600 this morning. He personally signed off on the offer. This is a leader who wants to be seen as decisive. It also distracts from the ongoing row over Channel crossings.
The French are still raw. Their justice system is under scrutiny over early release of known offenders. The suspect in Lyhanna's case had been convicted of sexual offences against minors. He was out on parole. That detail will fuel debate here too.
Backbench Tories are already calling for tougher sentences. Expect this case to be cited in the Commons next week. The opposition will demand to know what lessons the UK can learn.
For now, the focus is on forensics. UK experts could be on the ground by the weekend. The French investigation is in its early stages. British offers are rarely refused in such moments. Whitehall sources are confident.
The narrative is shifting. From horror to action. And from tragedy to political advantage. The game, as ever, continues.
