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| The figure compared Mr Cameron to Mrs Le Pen, left, who leads the Front National party in France |
France has risked a major diplomatic row with the UK after a senior government figure likened David Cameron to far-Right leader Marine Le Pen, saying his handling of a row over whether Britain should pay a £1.7 billion bill was “nationalistic” and “Byzantine”.
The French figure, who is close to President Francois Hollande, said that the Prime Minister had displayed “no European solidarity” when he hit out against the budget bill demanded by the EU because of the success of Britain’s economy.
In comments that will prompt outrage in Downing Street, the figure compared Mr Cameron to Miss Le Pen, who leads the Front National party in France.
Mr Cameron last month raised hackles among his European counterparts by suggesting the surcharge was “making thousands of voters believe the country should leave the European Union”.
He called the bill “outrageous” and refused to pay “anything like” the amount demanded by Brussels. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Friday, November 14, 2014
