Macron swipes back at Truss after she refuses to say whether French President is ‘friend’ of UK

Emmanuel Macron today swiped back at Liz Truss after the Tory leadership favourite refused to say whether the French President was a ‘friend’ of Britain.

The Foreign Secretary set up a fresh diplomatic spat across the Channel when –  speaking to Tory members in Norwich last night – she claimed ‘the jury’s out’ on Mr Macron.

Ms Truss, who is widely expected to succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister next month, also vowed to judge the French leader on ‘deeds not words’ if she enters Downing Street.

Asked about Ms Truss’s comments today, Mr Macron took a concerted dig at the Foreign Secretary.

‘The United Kingdom is a friendly nation, regardless of its leaders, and sometimes in spite of its leaders,’ the French President said during a trip to Algiers, the capital of Algeria.

‘It’s never a good idea to lose your bearings in life. If I’d been asked the question myself, this is how I’d answer it – whoever becomes the next leader of Great Britain, I won’t ask myself any questions about them personally.

‘Great Britain is a friend of France, and you know we live in a complicated world.

‘We have more and more liberal governments, autocratic democracies and other powers that create imbalance, and if we’re not able to say whether the French and British people are friends or foes – and the word foes is not a neutral one – then we’re heading towards serious problems.

‘So yes, I say it with certainty, the British people, the British nation is our friend.

‘The United Kingdom, strong and allied, regardless of its leaders, and sometimes in spite of and beyond its leaders, or regardless of the small mistakes they can make in their speeches.’

Ms Truss had already been accused of a ‘worrying lack of judgement’ and of ‘playing to the gallery’ with her remarks on Thursday night.

The Foreign Secretary has previously used the Tory leadership contest to pledge to be ‘robust’ with French authorities over the Channel migrant crisis.

She is also claimed to be considering a fresh Brexit fight with France and other EU nations by tearing up the Northern Ireland Protocol within days of entering Number 10.

Speaking at the penultimate hustings event in the Tory leadership contest last night, Ms Truss said of Mr Macron: ‘If I become PM, I will judge him on deeds not words.’

But critics pointed to how the UK and France are currently working together with other Western nations to face down Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Former Tory MP David Gauke, who served in Theresa May’s Cabinet alongside Ms Truss, said: ‘There’s playing to the gallery and then there’s letting the prejudices of the gallery go to your head, especially when now is one of the worst times to try to fragment the West.’

Lord Barwell, who was Mrs May’s chief of staff when she was PM, said: ‘You would have thought the Foreign Secretary was aware we are in a military alliance with France.’

And David Lammy, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, added: ‘At a time when the West must stay united in the face of Russian attempts to divide us, the fact the Foreign Secretary has chosen to needlessly insult one of our closest allies shows a terrible and worrying lack of judgement.

‘Liz Truss’ decision making has clearly become clouded by weeks and weeks of playing to the gallery of Tory members rather than focusing on the country.’

Meanwhile, Germany’s ambassador to the UK issued a gentle rebuke to Ms Truss on the importance of Anglo-French relations.

Miguel Berger told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘I would say that the relationship with France is of crucial importance for the UK, so my recommendation would be really to look for a relationship that is as close as possible.’

He added: ‘I think there needs to be an effort to reach a good understanding and cooperation with our French neighbours.’ 

But Ms Truss did find backing for her comments about Mr Macron among her supporters.

Some noted how late last year, ahead of his successful campaign to be re-elected as French President, Mr Macron was reported to have referred to Mr Johnson as a ‘clown’ in a private conversation.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi – who is backing Ms Truss for the Tory leadership – today insisted the Foreign Secretary was making a ‘light-hearted’ comment about the French leader.

‘It was clearly said as a light-hearted comment with a touch of humour,’ Mr Zahawi said.

‘Stating the obvious, France is one of our closest strategic allies in defence and security, of course, in our effort to face down Putin in his illegal invasion of a free and democratic country in Ukraine.

‘We like people to judge us on our actions, on our deeds, not words. And I think it is right that we also hold our allies to that very high standard.’

Mr Zahawi added there were ‘lots of chuckles’ when Ms Truss made her comments.

‘Liz and I both know that France is a strategic ally in defence, cyber, in our war effort in helping Ukraine, all these things we work very closely together,’ he continued.

‘We like to be held by our allies on our actions and our deeds, not words, as we have done in Ukraine. Liz has led that effort in facing down Putin and his cronies and sanctioning them and of course, she will continue to do that as Prime Minister.’

Veteran Tory MP John Redwood, who is tipped for a Treasury role if Ms Truss becomes PM, said: ‘President Macron could show friendship to the UK by arresting the people smugglers on French beaches, and stopping the small boats undertaking illegal and dangerous voyages.

‘He could also back the need for GB to be able to sell goods freely in Northern Ireland.’

When Rishi Sunak, who is Ms Truss’s rival for the Tory leadership, was also asked whether Mr Macron was a ‘friend or foe’ at last night’s hustings, he quickly answered: ‘Friend.’