Macron’s new dig at UK over Brexit

EMMANUEL Macron last night reopened rifts with Britain over migrants and Brexit.

As he set out his vision for France’s upcoming presidency of the European Union, Mr Macron could not resist a swipe at the UK.

Cross-Channel relations werestrained over post-Brexit fishing, migration and security, the French president said, because the British Government ‘does not do what it says it will’.

More than 25,000 migrants havereached Britain in small inflatableboats this year after leaving from the northern French coast.

The two countries have accused each other of not doing enough to prevent the deaths of at least 27 migrants whose boat sank last month off the coast of Calais.

Mr Macron said many of thosemaking the perilous crossing wereattracted by a British economic model that ‘depends on illegal

work by foreigners’. ‘I like Great Britain. I like its people,’ he said. ‘I want terribly to have a government that wants to work simply in good faith.’

He also appeared to still besmarting at Australia cancelling a contract with Paris for new submarines in favour of a deal with the UK and US, saying Britain had ‘pushed’ for the pact.

Mr Macron vowed to makeEurope ‘more powerful’ in theworld during France’s six-month rotating presidency of the EU, which begins in January.

In another dig at Brexit, he said: ‘Many would like to rely only on one nation.

‘Nations are our strength, our pride, but European unity is their indispensable complement.’

Downing Street declined to comment on the issue last night.