Macron’s tough talk hides French weakness

aT the height of Project Fear, France’s then economy minister warned that if Britain voted to leave the EU, our border guards posted on the other side of the Channel could be expelled. Brexit could mean camps being set up in Kent to deal with the influx of illegal migrants.

Now, two years later, Emmanuel Macron is French president – having made similar threats about Calais en route to the Elysee. What better chance to follow through?

Yet following talks with Theresa May yesterday, M. Macron reaffirmed the Le Touquet treaty which allows for UK border checks on French soil (and which has nothing to do with the EU).

Yes, Britain has agreed to pay £45million for extra security measures. But if they deter thousands of illegal migrants from crossing the Channel, it will be worth every penny.

Equally, this newspaper welcomes moves to give sanctuary to (genuine) children without hope who have fled war zones and found their way to Calais. so why the change of heart? Quite simply, the deal is in both sides’ interests.

It’s an object lesson in realpolitik for those Remainers who gush at every utterance from this suave Europhile. How they hope he will follow through on threats to punish us for Brexit!

But with the balance of trade in goods between the two countries in Britain’s favour, and unemployment in France running at nearly 10 per cent, in truth he’d only be punishing himself.