France says it will not be held hostage by British immigration policy
France is ready for a serious discussion with the UK on issues related to illegal immigration, but will not be held hostage by internal London policy, said the country's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
The two countries are already at odds over post-Brexit trade rules and fishing rights, and last week relations soured further after 27 people died trying to cross the English Channel.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote to President Emmanuel Macron outlining five steps the two countries could take to prevent immigrants from taking the perilous journey. One -- the sending of illegal immigrants back to France -- angered Paris.
France responded by canceling an invitation to British Interior Minister Priti Patel to attend a meeting on Sunday with its European counterparts to discuss the matter after Johnson posted the letter on Twitter.
"The UK has left Europe but not the world. We need to work seriously on these issues without being held hostage by British domestic politics," Darmanin told reporters after meeting his Belgian, German and Dutch colleagues in Calais.
He added that the tone of London in private was not the same as in public.
France has been dealing with the issue of illegal immigration to the UK for 25 years and now is the time for London to wake up, said Darmanin.
“If immigrants are coming to Calais, Dunkirk or northern France, it's because they're attracted to England, especially the job market, which means you can work in England without any identification,” he said.
"The UK must accept its responsibility and limit its economic attractiveness."
Text translated using artificial intelligence.
