Emmanuel Macron tells UK PM to 'get serious' as both leaders clash over Channel crisis

French President Emmanuel Macron slammed the United Kingdom's decision to issue a five-point plan on Channel crisis via Twitter rather than holding bilateral talks. In yet another sign of rising diplomatic crisis since the murders of 27 people on Wednesday, United Kingdom's PM Boris Johnson has been advised by French President Emmanuel Macron to "get serious" or risk being excluded from conversations about how to stem the flow of people fleeing violence and poverty across the Channel. In time for the front pages of UK newspapers, the letter to Macron was sent publicly as a tweet.

On Sunday, France planned to invite ministers from all countries with Channel coasts, including Patel, for a discussion on the refugee issue in Calais, in particular the Channel crisis. The diplomatic conflict erupted after France declined to invite Home Secretary Priti Patel to the conference. The British government asked France to rethink, with Prime Minister Johnson saying, "this is a problem we all have to fix together," according to BBC. Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and the European Commission are expected to join the Calais talks on Sunday, which Mr Macron called in response to the recent rise in migrant crossings across the Channel. 

"I spoke two days ago with Prime Minister Johnson in a serious way. For my part I continue to do that, as I do with all countries and all leaders. I am surprised by methods when they are not serious. We do not communicate from one leader to another on these issues by tweets and letters that we make public. We are not whistleblowers. Come on. Come on," President Macron said during a press conference on November 26.

French interior minister calls Johnson's letter 'Disappointment'

Gerald Darmanin, the French interior minister, wrote to Patel to indicate the meeting on Sunday would go ahead without British participation. Darmanin told Patel that Johnson's letter to Macron, in which he suggested that France take back migrants who crossed the Channel, was a disappointment, according to The Guardian. Johnson wrote to Macron, requesting that France immediately begin accepting all refugees who arrive in England after crossing the Channel. Johnson's letter also proposed expanded collaboration with France, including cooperative border patrols, aerial surveillance, and intelligence exchange.

The fresh row exacerbates post-Brexit tensions between Britain and France, with French fishermen planning a blockade of Channel ferry terminals and a halt to freight entering the Channel tunnel on Friday in protest over fishing rights. In a related event, the leader of a UK trade union that represents thousands of Border Force employees has warned that if they are requested to push back boats of refugees, members may be balloted to strike, according to The Guardian. Patel stated in parliament on Thursday that Border Force was ready and willing to turn around and return boats that had arrived from France.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP