France has rejected Boris Johnson's call for an agreement to return migrants crossing the Channel, accusing the UK prime minister of exploiting the crisis for political purposes.

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told Britain that any deal on migration would have to be done with the European Union (EU), saying France is ready for a serious discussion with Britain on issues relating to illegal migration, but will not be held hostage to London's domestic politics.

Darmanin said Britain should make itself less attractive to illegal immigrants and agree to allow genuine asylum seekers to cross the Channel legally from France.

The two countries are already at loggerheads over post-Brexit trading rules and fishing rights. Last week, relations soured further after 27 people died trying to cross the Channel.

Johnson wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday asking for a bilateral deal to return migrants to France, pending a wider agreement with the EU.

France responded by cancelling an invitation to British Interior Minister Priti Patel to attend a meeting on Sunday with European counterparts to discuss the issue after Johnson published the letter on Twitter.

"Britain left Europe, but not the world. We need to work seriously on these questions ... without being held hostage by domestic British politics," Darmanin told reporters after meeting his Belgian, German and Dutch counterparts in Calais.

France had been handling the issue of illegal migration to Britain for 25 years and it was now time London woke up, Darmanin said.

"If migrants are coming to Calais, Dunkirk or northern France, it's because they are attracted by England, especially the labor market which means you can work in England without any identification," he said. "Britain must take its responsibility and limit its economic attractiveness."

Little was agreed at Sunday's meeting beyond further cooperation between police, but the European Border and Coast Guard Agency agreed to provide a plane from December 1 to monitor France's northern coastline, Darmanin added.

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(With input from agencies.)