FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL Macron has hit back against Tory leadership favourite Liz Truss, after she said that the “jury’s out” on whether the French leader was a friend of the UK.
Speaking during a visit to Algeria today, Macron said that the UK was an ally of France regardless and in spite of who leads the country.
“The British people, the United Kingdom, is a friendly, strong and allied nation, regardless of its leaders, and sometimes in spite of its leaders,” Macron said, initially pausing before answering the question.
“If we are not capable, between France and Britain, of saying whether we are a friend or enemy — the term is not neutral — we are heading towards serious problems,” he added.
The Irish government also reaffirmed its friendship with France this afternoon, tweeting that Macron had arrived in Ireland for a working visit on this day last year.
On this day last year📅
— MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) August 26, 2022
President @EmmanuelMacron arrived in Ireland for a one-day working visit 🇫🇷🤝🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/RRRpnOeoVL
Truss initially made the comments yesterday at a Tory leadership hustings yesterday, after she was asked whether or not Macron was a “friend or foe”.
“The jury’s out,” Truss said, which received loud applause from the audience.
“But if I become Prime Minister, I would judge him on deeds, not words.”
Sunak however, responded that Macron was a friend when asked the same question.
During last year’s visit to Dublin, Macron met with both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and President Michael D Higgins.
Signing the Áras an Uachtaráin guest book, Macron wrote:
“Because Ireland has constantly struggled in favour of peace; because it was a land of asylum before it became a land of welcome; because its society shows solidarity and is opened; Ireland occupies a precious place at the heart of the European dream.
“Your invitation on this day to meet the minds which shape Ireland is a great honour and a source of inspiration. France is your closest neighbour within the European Union and will remain a faithful friend for the future.”
During the visit, the issue of corporation tax was high on the agenda but Macron said that he would “not put pressure” on Ireland to reduce its rate.
““I’m not the one to put pressure on my friend. We cooperate and we work very well together,” the French leader said in a joint press conference with Martin.
His comments came just two months before Ireland decided to join an OECD framework which would raise corporation tax from 12.5% to 15%.
Additional reporting by Press Association and AFP.
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