Fixing the Entente Cordiale ‘not a priority’ for re-elected president, says finance minister

A RESET in France’s relations with the UK is “not a priority” for the new Macron presidency, Bruno Le Maire, his finance minister, made plain yesterday.

The Entente Cordiale has hit rock bottom in recent months, with Emmanuel Macron reportedly calling Boris Johnson a “clown” and “knucklehead” in private, while the Prime Minister told him to “Donnez-moi un break”.

That did not stop Mr Johnson wishing the re-elected president his warmest congratulations in English and French. “France is one of our closest and most important allies. I look forward to continuing to work together on the issues which matter most to our two countries and to the world,” he tweeted.

Asked about whether a “reset” or a refreshed Entente Cordiale was possible after Mr Macron’s victory against his rival Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party on Sunday, Mr Le Maire said it was not his priority. “Our first challenge will not be the relationship between the UK and France,” he said. “Our first challenge will be to take into account French unity and all the concerns that have been expressed.”

Mr Macron pushed for the hardest line from Brussels during the years of the Brexit negotiations. On the campaign trail, he used Britain, and its painful divorce from the EU, as a cautionary tale for stay-at-home voters or those tempted to plump for Ms Le Pen.

But with the election over, there are hopes from London of a more constructive relationship with Paris on issues such as post-brexit fishing rights and migrants crossing the Channel.

Downing Street has said Britain expects to maintain a “good relationship” with France and “continue to discuss with them some of the key issues – the shared issues that we have”.