'Pay up Britain' Le Pen rival Emmanuel Macron demands May pays for migrants in FRANCE

Macron met with Theresa May in Downing Street yesterday and hinted he was desperate to renegotiate the Le Touquet agreement if elected later this year.

The 2005 agreement between Britain and France effectively moved the UK’s border to Calais and allows authorities in both countries to carry out immigration checks inside each other’s territory at the sea ports.

Critics of the deal claim the agreement had led to a build-up of migrants in the French border town of Calais and the construction of the camps like the Jungle.

After Macron met will the Prime Minister, he told reporters: “I don’t say we have to kill it but de facto today it is not a fair relationship due to the fact that we have to deal with a lot of people on our side waiting for access to the UK.

“Post-Brexit Le Touquet [the agreement] – even if it is not part of the EU package – is something we have to reconsider.”

The 39-year-old said he told Mrs May that he wanted to “see what we can improve” regarding the treaty.

Macron has also promised to make Britain suffer for its decision to leave the EU and make the country “pay to trade” with the bloc.

He said: “On my side I said the execution of Brexit had to be compliant with our [French] interests and the European interest. On the financial passport for instance there can be no access to the market without any contribution.

“I don’t want to accept any caveat or any waiver to what makes the single market and the EU.”

Macron also said he would try to woo the British banks and academics across the Channel and persuade his countrymen who had moved to Britain back home to look for opportunities there.

The former economy minister said: “I will have a series of initiatives to get talented people in research and lots of fields working here to come to France.

“I think that France and the European Union are a very attractive space now so in my programme I will do everything I can to make it attractive and successful.”

The former banker resigned from the government last year in a desperate bid to rid himself the party’s toxic reputation and is now running as an independent.

Front National’s leader Marine Le Pen has established a seven point lead ahead of former frontrunner Francois Fillon and Macron in the first round of voting on April 23.

Polls also suggest both men would edge Le Pen in the second round of voting on May 7.