BRITAIN can never rely on the French to stop small boats as Emmanuel Macron will never forgive Brexit, Robert Jenrick declared today.
In an astonishing broadside at our nearest neighbours, the Tory leadership contender accused the French president of not “caring” about Channel crossings.
Robert Jenrick appearing on Never Mind The Ballots today[/caption]
He went on the attack after The Sun revealed a secret proposal he made while immigration minister for Britain to PAY France for us to take their successful asylum seekers and return illegals.
The highly controversial “one-in, one-out” swap was offered to France by Rishi Sunak but rejected by Macron.
Confronted with the leaked Home Office letter live on Never Mind The Ballots, Mr Jenrick said it was a “short time-limited intervention” to break the incentive for migrants to cross.
He said: “What was shameful about that incident was that, as I understand it, Rishi Sunak put it to President Macron, and he rejected it.
“He wouldn’t even give it a hearing, because he didn’t want to fix this problem, probably as a punishment for Brexit.”
Saying Paris “don’t care” about helping, the Tory hardliner let rip: “The French could stop this tomorrow… but what I learned is you cannot rely on the French.”
The Government is currently paying France around £500million for Calais’ cops to patrol their beaches and intercept the boats.
But despite the eye-watering sums of taxpayer cash illegal migration is still as high as last year.
Mr Jenrick said only his flagship pledge to leave the European Convention of Human Rights would end the crisis.
And he said any Tory candidate standing for the party under his leadership would have to sign up to quitting the Strasbourg court.
He is facing off against Kemi Badenoch in the final round of the Tory leadership election.
Around 150,000 party members will pick the winner with a result announced on November 2.
