Macron charms Westminster – and piles pressure on Starmer ...Middle East

Immaculately suited, the French President arrived at the gilded Royal Gallery in the Palace of Westminster and winked twice at his audience like a game-show host, soaking up the applause.

Macron talked up the UK and France working together on numerous issues, including defending Ukraine via forces sent by the so-called coalition of the willing, an idea put forward by Sir Keir Starmer. The French President said it was a signal that “Europeans will never abandon Ukraine. Never.” Cue much applause.  

However, even in the run-up the UK had been dragging its feet about signing up to the French plans, partly because Israel is yet to agree a lasting ceasefire and partly because diplomats felt an announcement could lack impact if done prematurely. It could also annoy the Americans, something Starmer has been keen not to do.   

The French leader, accompanied by wife Brigitte, also warned that the UK and France have “excessive dependencies” on both the US and China, who both have a disregard for free trade. In the week Trump sent out more stern letters on tariffs, Macron has a point.

He also earned himself laughter by sarcastically joking that he has “great memories” of the difficult Brexit negotiations. It’s not a gag a French leader could have made to a British audience even 18 months ago.

square KITTY DONALDSON

Norman Tebbit was the grandfather of Brexit

It’s also still unclear whether an announcement on Starmer’s coveted one-in-one-out deal on illegal migrants will be settled during this visit. It would allow Britain to return small boat migrants to France in exchange for accepting asylum seekers with a family connection in the UK.

A ripple of applause greeted the news that the Bayeux Tapestry would be installed at the British Museum next year. Clearly all present were recalling fondly – perhaps with rose-tinted spectacles – their own school trips: happy days on the vomit-inducing ferry to Normandy, baguette au jambon et fromage followed by a stern lesson in losing control of your country to a foreign invader via the medium of embroidery.

He acknowledged a standing ovation with a hand on his heart. He’d won them over and he knew it.

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