One of new French President Emmanuel Macron’s chief economic advisers, Jean Pisani-Ferry, told the BBC on Monday 8 May that it was in no one’s interest to pursue a “hard Brexit”
“I don’t think anybody has an interest in a hard Brexit”, stated Jean Pisani-Ferry. He said that he felt a new relationship had to be forged: “There is a mutual interest in keeping the prosperity that exists, that has been built over the years” through many economic and other relationships.
Macron twice visited London when he was the economy minister and once, in February, during his presidential election campaign. He met Theresa May, making it clear that he believed that leaving the EU was a grave mistake and warning the UK that there could be no derogations from European rules in establishing the new relationship with the EU. He also called on bankers, researchers and academics affected by Brexit to move to France.
The UK government’s spokespersons have said that the two leaders spoke after Macron’s election victory and “briefly discussed Brexit”. Downing Street has said that May looked forward to working with Macron on a range of shared issues, “with the UK and France’s unique partnership providing a strong foundation for future co-operation”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)