THE PRIME Minister has told French president Emmanuel Macron to “donnez moi un break” and get over his anger about the new military pact forged between the UK, US and Australia.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, the Prime Minister said: “I just think it’s time for some of our dearest friends around the world to prenez un grip about this and donnez moi un break.
“Because this is fundamentally a great step forward for global security. It’s three very like-minded allies standing shoulder to shoulder creating a new partnership for the sharing of technology.
“It’s not exclusive. It’s not trying to shoulder anybody out. It’s not adversarial towards China, for instance.”
France has become enraged after the UK, Australia and the US signed a new security agreement which effectively tears up a lucrative submarine contract the French had with Australia.
On Monday Ben Wallace, UK Defence Secretary, was due to meet his French counterpart but this was cancelled due to row.
France also withdrew ambassadors from the US and Australia, following the launch of the AUKUS pact last week.
Boris Johnson is in Washington this week for the UN General Assembly, and has met with Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Australian President Scott Morrison.
Liz Truss, new Foreign Secretary, is also joining the trip.
Mr Johnson appeared to scale back his ambitions to make a free trade deal with the US today following a 90-minute meeting with the US President Joe Biden.
After the pair met in the White House, the Prime Minister conceded he was looking to make only “incremental steps” to trading with the States.
Mr Johnson welcomed news that a ban on British lamb imports in the US would be lifted, but poured cold water on hopes that a comprehensive free trade agreement, touted as one of the major prizes of Brexit, will be brokered any time soon.
Speaking to reporters outside the US Capitol building in Washington, Mr Johnson said: “I can tell you today that what we’re going to get from the United States now is a lifting of the decades-old ban, totally unjustified, discriminating on British farmers and British lamb.
“It’s about time too. And what we’re wanting to do is make solid, incremental steps in trade.
“The Biden administration is not doing free trade deals around the world right now but I’ve got absolutely every confidence that a great deal is there to be done.
“And there are plenty of people in that building behind me who certainly want a deal.”
Downing Street said Mr Johnson updated the president on recent developments with the Northern Ireland Protocol during their meeting in the White House on Tuesday.
Mr Biden issued a fresh warning for the UK not to damage the peace process in Northern Ireland over the EU departure.
He did not counter the assertion from his predecessor Barack Obama that Britain would be at the “back of the queue” for a post-Brexit free trade agreement.
Sitting next to Mr Johnson in the Oval Office, Mr Biden told reporters: “We’re going to talk a little bit about trade today and we’re going to have to work that through.”
He said he felt “very strongly” about issues surrounding the peace process, as problems with the protocol persisted.
“And I would not at all like to see – nor, I might add, would many of my Republican colleagues like to see – a change in the Irish accords, the end result having a closed border in Ireland,” he said.
Mr Johnson said “that’s absolutely right”, adding: “On that point, Joe, we’re completely at one, nobody wants to see anything that interrupts or unbalances the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.”
Downing Street said the Prime Minister updated Mr Biden on developments with the protocol since they last met in June.
The White House said Mr Biden “reiterated his longstanding support for a secure and prosperous Northern Ireland in which all communities have a voice and enjoy the gains of the hard-won peace”.
The UK is seeking to renegotiate the terms of the Brexit deal with the EU.
The protocol means Northern Ireland is effectively in the EU’s single market for goods, to avoid a hard border with Ireland, which creates a trade barrier for products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain.
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