French President Emmanuel Macron told Britain on Friday it demanded to “ get serious” or remain locked out of conversations over how to check the inflow of settlers escaping war and poverty across the Channel. France cancelled an assignation to British home clerk Priti Patel to attend a meeting on the issue in Calais, italicizing how fraught its ties with Britain have come, withpost-Brexit trading rules and fishing rights also at stake.
Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said the British PM was taking the issue “ extremely seriously” and said he hoped France would review its decision to cancel Patel’s invite. The row erupted after the death of 27 settlers trying to cross the seaway between the two countries, the worst tragedy on record in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
“ I ’m surprised when effects aren’t done seriously. We do n’t communicate between leaders via tweets or published letters, we aren’t effervesce- boasters. Come on,” Macron said. He was responding to a letter from Johnson in which the British PM told “ Dear Emmanuel” what he reckoned should be done to stop settlers from making the trip. Johnson prompted France in his letter to agree on common details on its props and concurrence to taking back settlers who make it to UK. Rankled by the letter, France cancelled an assignation to Patel to attend a meeting on Sunday to bandy with EU ministers how to attack immigration. Johnson doesn’t lament his letter or twittering it, his spokesperson said, adding that he wrote it “ in the spirit of cooperation”.
Ties between the abettors are formerly strained, including by a recent submarines deal with Australia which replaced one UK had with France. “ We ’re fed up with (London’s) double- talk,” French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal said, adding innards minister Gerald Darmanin “ told his counterpart she was no longer welcome”. Sunday’s meeting will go ahead, without Patel but with ministers from Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and European Commission officers. “ We ’ll also see how to move forward efficiently with the British, if they decide to get serious,” Macron said.
