Britain will follow France if Reeves fails to slash taxes

DEBIT-RIDDEN France is in crisis — again. Francois Bayrou has been ousted as prime minister after failing to push through his budget to reduce the country’s deficit by €44 billion (£38bn).

- Tim Newark Political Commentator

Despite the mountain of debt accrued through generous, public-sector payouts, it seems French Left-wing MPs are hellbent on copying our Chancellor’s doomed plan to tax the rich at all costs. No wonder Bayrou’s parting shot was to warn his country’s foolhardy legislators not to “become like Britain”.

Let us not forget Bayrou was hired by President Emmanuel Macron to cut the spiralling cost of the French government as it teeters on the edge of needing to be bailed out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The indignity of the EU’s second-biggest economy needing international help before it goes bust is not lost on the vainglorious Macron, who likes to strut the world stage while his ministers struggle with the national debt.

But still they keep spending on gold-plated civil servants and their pensions, a ridiculously low retirement age of 62 and a net-zero commitment that is throwing away billions in subsidies at the failing project. And, of course, the militant French are quick to hit the streets in protest if any attempt is made to slim down their costly lifestyle.