𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

French prime minister Francois Bayrou has warned the country’s parliament not to copy Britain’s economic chaos, as he battled to save his premiership. Mr Bayrou launched the last-minute plea as he faced a losing battle to prevent being ousted in a vote of no confidence.

The result, which is expected in the coming hours, could mean yet another snap election, with the hard-Right National Front threatening a political earthquake. In his likely final speech as prime minister, Mr Bayrou warned legislators not to copy Britain’s disastrous economic failures, causing embarrassment for Rachel Reeves. He warned that the government needs to make cuts to balance the books, as France faces similar pressures to the UK.

Arguing against the Left’s call for higher taxes on wealth, he told them to look to Britain, where similar wealth grabs have seen a steady stream of the rich leaving for other countries.

The UK has seen the highest departure of millionaires of any country on earth in recent years, more so than even China or Russia.

Mr Bayrou warned: “Our British neighbours decided to tax foreigners who were exempt from taxation.

“Those foreigners moved away, and the immediate consequence was an explosion in property prices in Milan.

“The wealthy have a plethora of countries where they can find tax refuge in Europe itself, such as Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands, for businesses.”

Concluding his speech, the prime minister added: “You can get rid of the government, but you can’t get rid of reality.

“France has not known a balanced budget for 51 years. Every year, debt accumulates.”

Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s equivalent of Reform, has just called on president Emmanuel Macron to dissolve the French assembly and call a snap election, despite only having one in July 2024.

She warned that while Mr Macron will not do this, “he must act out of duty … and in the best interest of the country”.

“Everything suggests that legally, politically, and even morally, that dissolution is not an option, but an obligation,” she said.

Mr Macron is facing a political crisis, as he is on the brink of losing his fourth prime minister in a year.

Questions are rising about how he can cling on until the end of his presidential term in 2027, despite no ability to pass anything through a hung parliament.

Ms Le Pen added that Monday’s debate marked “the end of the agony of a phantom government”, which “was not governing, but merely administrating”.