6 Daily Express Friday, August 23, 2019
DX1STTHE BATTLE
Boris boost as now Macron
FROM PAGE ONEconceded an “intelligent” solution
to break the deadlock over the
Irish border backstop could be
found with “goodwill” on both
sides.
His unexpectedly positive
remarks on welcoming Mr Johnson
to the French capital came a day
after German Chancellor Angela
Merkel had given the Prime
Minister 30 days to come up with
workable new proposals for solving
the border dilemma.
Mr Macron hinted at negotiation
challenges ahead by insisting a
guarantee against a hard border
between Northern Ireland and the
Irish Republic was “indispensable”.
Nevertheless Mr Johnson
received a warmer reception than
expected at the French president’s
Elysee Palace where he told his
host: “Let’s get Brexit done.”
President Macron’s more flexible
approach came as the two leaders
briefly spoke to broadcasters ahead
of talks over lunch.
For the first time, he suggested
the Withdrawal Agreement
thrashed out by former prime min-
ister Theresa May and EU chief
negotiator Michel Barnier but
repeatedly rejected by MPs could
be redrafted.
He said: “We will not find a newWithdrawal Agreement within 30
days which will be very different
from the existing one. It is just that
what Michel Barnier has negotiated
can be amended while complying
with the integrity of the single mar-
ket and stability in Ireland – then
we can find a solution.”
He also appeared to endorse
Chancellor Merkel’s offer of 30
days for the UK to propose an
alternative to the backstop mecha-
nism designed to keep the
Northern Irish border free of cus-
toms checks.
He said: “What Angela Merkel
said yesterday and which is very
much in line with the discussions
we have had from the very begin-
ning is that we need visibility in 30
days.
“I believe that this also matches
the goal of Prime Minister Johnson.
No one will wait until October 31
to find the right solution.”
President Macron said Mr
Barnier could help find a new solu-
tion to the backstop row “without
totally reshuffling” the Withdrawal
Agreement.
“We should all together be able
to find something smart within 30
days if there is goodwill on both
sides and I believe there is,” he
said.
Speaking alongside President
Macron, the Prime Minister wel-
comed the “positive noises” he had
received during his two-day trip to
Berlin and Paris about a possibledeal. Mr Johnson said: “I want to
be clear to you, Emmanuel, to the
French people, that of course I
want a deal and I think that we can
get a deal and a good deal.
“I was powerfully encouraged by
our conversations last night in
Berlin with our mutual friends and
I know that with energy and with
creativity and with application we
can find a way forward for all our
businesses and our citizens.
“It is vital for trust in politics that
if you have a referendum then you
should act on the instructions of
the voters and that is why we mustSKETCH
MACER HALL
Political Editor‘We should be able
to find something
smart with goodwill
on both sides’
TODDLER AMONG 65 MIGRANTS SAVED BY CHANNEL COASTGUARDS
Two women and a child were among those aboard the Lifeboat after their rescue in the English ChannelDOZENS of migrants were
rescued along the south
coast yesterday after
crossing the English
Channel in small boats.
Some 65 people were
reportedly rescued off
Deal, Dover, Rye,
Winchelsea and Hastings.
One boat carrying 16
migrants was brought to
shore by the coastguard
at Rye harbour in East
Sussex at around 3.30pm.
Passengers included a
sleeping child of about
three, and two women.
MP Charlie Elphicke,
who represents Dover,
warned that the situation
was “heading to a
summer of chaos. Day by
day there are more
arrivals from France by
small boats across the
Channel,” he said.
“Urgent action is needed
by the French authorities
to stop boats setting off
from France before there
is another tragedy.”
HM Coastguard said it
had assisted Border
Force in the incidents. A
spokesman said: “We are
committed to
safeguarding life around
the seas and coastal
areas of this country.” Safe... migrants including this child were taken ashore at Rye, East SussexBy Macer Hall200,000 net rise in immigrants
IMMIGRATION swelled Britain’s
population by more than 200,
over the past year.
That is despite the influx from
the EU falling by more than a
third since the Brexit vote, official
figures revealed yesterday.
Data from the Office for
National Statistics showed that an
estimated 226,000 more people
moved to the UK than left during
the 12 months to last March.
In total, 612,000 people came
to the country while 385,
people departed, according to the
quarterly migration report.
Yet the figures showed that
annual net migration from the EUwas 59,000 during the same
period, the lowest level since
2013.
The latest figures were released
a day after the ONS admitted
flawed measurements meant
about 300,000 eastern European
newcomers were not counted in
the eight years to the EU referen-
dum in 2016.
Campaigners for lower migra-
tion yesterday described the
numbers arriving compared to
those leaving as “far too high”.
Alp Mehmet, chairman of
Migration Watch UK, said: “Netmigration remains far too high.
Brexit is a golden opportunity to
restore a degree of control.”
The net migration figure of
226,000 was down from a peak
of 343,000 in the year ending
June 2015.
The figures showed 200,
EU citizens moved to the UK
while 141,000 left.
Madeleine Sumption, director
of the University of Oxford’s
Migration Observatory, said the
UK was less attractive than before
the Brexit vote. She added: “The
drop in the value of sterling has
made working in the UK less
lucrative than it once was.”GIVEN his reputation as the
defender of the EU federalist
faith against the Brexiteers,
Emmanuel Macron’s welcome
for Boris Johnson in Paris
yesterday was unexpectedly
warm.
The French President
scurried across the gravel in a
courtyard of his Elysee Palace
to clasp the Prime Minister’s
hand on his arrival.
He raised himself on his
tiptoes as their hands locked as
if to enhance his half an inch of
extra height over his guest.
His handshake was so
enthusiastic Mr Johnson
momentarily rocked back on his
feet.
As the pair turned to grin at
the waiting media, the President
gave his guest’s arm a gentle
pat. Seconds later, his face
cracked into a broad grin in
response to some animated
remarks from the visiting
premier.
“I’m very pleased to be able
to receive the Prime Minister,
dear Boris Johnson, here today
in Paris,” the President
announced.
Mr Johnson listened intently
as the President addressed the
media in French without a
translation earpiece.
The Prime Minister, who
admits to speaking a “barbarian
version” of the language,
occasionally glanced at the
President’s script to keep up
before scribbling some extra
words on his own notes.
When his turn came to speak,
the President looked on
approvingly, although one
eyebrow arched slightly as the
Prime Minister spoke of his
optimism that a Brexit deal can
be done.
“Merci beaucoup, let’s work!”
President Macron announced
as the questions ended,
grabbing the PM’s shoulder as
they turned to climb the steps
into the Palace.
Both appeared relaxed later
during their private chat, with
the Prime Minister putting a
nonchalant foot on a coffee
table as he reclined on a chair.
The pair later took a walk
together in the Palace gardens.Pictures: STEVE FINN