New PM pulls off first diplomatic win by securing pledge on Calais border controls from Francois Hollande
But the leaders clashed over the shape of a future Brexit deal, and how swiftly the UK should leave the EU
THERESA May pulled off her first diplomatic coup as PM tonight by extracting a pledge from France to keep border controls in Calais after Brexit.
The new PM struck the agreement with President Francois Hollande during her first talks with him in Paris.
But the two leaders also clashed bitterly over the shape of a future Brexit deal, and how swiftly the UK should leave the EU.
Maintaining British border posts on the other side of the channel – set up 13 years ago by the Le Touquet Treaty - is crucial to stop the soaring migrant camps in the French coast town moving to Dover.
Ex-PM David Cameron painted the disaster scenario for Kent during the EU referendum campaign as a potential Brexit consequence.
But speaking at the Elysee Palace tonight, Mrs May declared: “There are those in France that want it to go.
“Le Touquet is of benefit to both Britain and France, and we are both very clear it should stay.”
Socialist Mr Hollande added: “We want to keep it, and we want to improve it.
“Le Touquet ensures that we can say to migrants that there is no point coming to Calais as they will not be able to cross.”
It also emerged that the Calais Jungle camp has swelled to more than 7,000 occupants for the first time, despite repeated attempts to close most of it down.
And aid agencies projected it will hit 10,000 by the end of the summer as 50 people a day are now arriving, setting up makeshift tents amid squalor.
But Mrs May’s deal may only last nine months if unpopular Mr Hollande is thrown out of office during elections in April next year.
His rival, French presidential frontrunner Alain Juppe, wants to scrap the Calais border posts.
The centre-right Mayor of Bordeaux insisted two weeks ago: “We must move the border back to where it belongs”.
Ahead of their first dinner together tonight of lobster and prawn salad, veal, and vanilla pudding with strawberries, Mrs May and France’s boss failed to paper over major differences on Brexit.
Angry Mr Hollande tore into her before she even arrived in Paris to demand she trigger Britain’s formal departure from the EU “as soon as possible”.
Mrs May has already insisted she will delay invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty until next year.
While on a visit to Dublin, the French leader also attacked her for trying to pick and choose the best bits from the EU while also halting immigration.
And he repeated the barrage to her face during a joint press conference, dubbing it “the crucial point” of the two year-long Brexit negotiation.
Mr Hollande told Mrs May: “If Britain wishes to remain in the single market, it must abide by the four freedoms.
“There can be no free movement of goods, services and people without free movement of people.”
He also repeated his call for a speedy Brexit, and “the sooner the better”, adding: “Uncertainty is the greatest danger”.
But Mr Hollande said he wants the talks to begin much more quickly and will ask Mrs May why she is dragging her feet.
Speaking at a press conference during a visit to Ireland this morning he said: “I will meet Theresa May tonight.
“That will be the opportunity to hear the arguments. What is the interest of delaying? I would like justifications.
Mr Hollande said Brexit was "a decision that was taken by the British people" and it was the British people who "will have to bear the consequences".
He said: "Europe will try its best to give its best relationship with the UK.
“But there's a time the politicians have to accept this vote.
“They have to accept the consequences."
Listening stony-faced, Mrs May ramped tension between them as she shot back at Mr Hollande: “I understand the need for confidence and certainty in the markets, which is why I have already been clear Britain will not be invoking Article 50 before the end of this year”.
Mr Hollande took a far harder line than Mrs Merkel, who Mrs May visited in Berlin on Wednesday night, in Day One of her whistle-stop European tour.
While disappointing the PM by refusing to begin any Brexit talks until Mrs May made Britain’s demands clear, the German leader did agree with her plea to be given until next year to work them out.
EU leaders are split on how to handle Brexit, with France’s boss instead allying with arch-federalist EU Commission boss Jean-Claude Juncker.
In a bid to charm her host, Mrs May spoke her opening remarks in French.
And repeating France’s national motto, she said the two countries “share a firm belief in the values of “liberté, égalité, fraternité”.
The two leaders also went the furthest yet to honour the rights of Brits and French living in each other’s countries after Brexit.
But despite pressure, Mrs May again insisted she needed to know British citizens living in Europe would be protected first.
The PM explained: “In the future I want to be able to guarantee the right of people living in the UK and expect to do so.
“It will only not be possible if British people’s rights living in Europe are not respected.”
They also vowed to deepen cooperation on defence and security, and Mrs May again pledged solidarity with France to defeat terrorism after the Nice attack last week.
Also while in Dublin earlier yesterday, Mr Hollande called for “a special place in the negotiations” over what happens to Northern Ireland’s border with the south after Brexit, dubbing it “a special situation”.
In Dublin he and the Irish Prime minister Enda Kenny issued a joint statement urging rapid exit talks.
And he said he would confer with German leader Angela Merkel after his meeting with Mrs May.
Mrs May and Mr Hollande will have a working dinner at the Elysee Palace.
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Responding to his comments, Mrs May's spokeswoman said the Elysee meeting would provide an opportunity for the leaders to "sit down and talk about these issues face to face" and for the PM to set out what her approach will be.
She said: "They have already had a good phone call last week, when she said it was going to take some time to prepare for these negotiations.
The spokeswoman said Mrs May would stress that France is "one of our oldest and most important partners, where the depth of our relationship - particularly on security and defence - is very important for both of us";.
She added: "It will be an opportunity to talk about the whole range of important aspects to our bilateral relationship. The PM's clear message will be the importance we attach to that relationship.
"We don't think it should be defined by us both being members of the EU.
“We can have a strong relationship with the UK outside the EU and France inside."
Their working dinner comes just a day after Mrs May met with German counterpart Angela Merkel.
At discussions in Berlin, the Chancellor said Britain should "take a moment" over its plans to sever its ties with Brussels but warned against leaving the negotiations "up in the air".
She said the UK should take its time to sort out its priorities, after welcoming Mrs May to the city with a guard of honour.
But she refused “any formal or informal negotiations” until the UK had laid its cards fully on the table.
And in a warning of the tough bartering between them to come, Mrs Merkel insisted: “I promise you from the German side we will certainly stand up for our interests – just as Britain does for its own citizens.
“We’re listening to what exactly Britain wants and then we will give the answer.
“It is now up to the British Government to define how it wishes to see its future relationship with the EU.”
EU leaders have made clear they want Britain to swiftly begin its exit from the bloc.
Speaking yesterday Mrs May insisted that Germany would "remain a vital partner and a special friend for us"; after Brexit.
She added: "All of us will need time to prepare for these negotiations and the United Kingdom will not invoke Article 50 until our objectives are clear.
"That is why I have said already that this will not happen before the end of this year.
"I understand this timescale will not please everyone but I think it is important to provide clarity on that now."
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