The French government has withdrawn an invitation to the home secretary, Priti Patel, to attend a meeting about the Channel boats crisis after Boris Johnson called on France to take back people who crossed the Channel to the UK in small boats.
In an escalation of the political crisis after the deaths of 27 people in the Channel, the French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, has written to Patel to say a meeting on Sunday would proceed without British involvement.
It follows Johnson’s letter to President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday night setting out five steps to avoid a repeat of Wednesday’s tragedy. The letter was sent publicly as a tweet in time for the front pages of UK newspapers and French officials confirmed Macron had not seen the letter before Johnson tweeted it.
Darmanin told Patel the letter from Johnson to Macron, suggesting France take back people who cross the Channel, was a “disappointment”.
Referring to Johnson’s posting of the letter on social media, he added: “Making it public made it even worse. I therefore need to cancel our meeting in Calais on Sunday.” » | Rajeev Syal and Jon Henley | Friday, November 26, 2021
Crise des Migrants : Macron dénonce les méthodes «pas sérieuses» de Londres, Johnson assume : Boris Johnson a demandé à Emmanuel Macron dans une lettre publique de reprendre les migrants arrivant en Angleterre depuis la France. En réaction, Gérald Darmanin a annulé la participation britannique à une réunion de crise. »
France-U.K. Acrimony Over Channel Crossings Deepens: The French responded angrily to Boris Johnson’s suggestion that France take back migrants who reach Britain, and rescinded an invitation for a top British official to discuss the crisis. »
Aus deutscher Sicht:
Paris und London müssen kooperieren! : Seit dem Brexit ist das Klima zwischen Paris und London rauher geworden. Der Geist der Partnerschaft hat sich verflüchtigt. Das kostet Menschenleben. »
