Reviewing politics
and culture since 1913

  1. Politics
  2. The Staggers
21 October 2016

En français, s’il vous plaît! EU lead negotiator wants to talk Brexit in French

C’est très difficile. 

By Julia Rampen

In November 2015, after the Paris attacks, Theresa May said: “Nous sommes solidaires avec vous, nous sommes tous ensemble.” (“We are in solidarity with you, we are all together.”)

But now the Prime Minister might have to brush up her French and take it to a much higher level.

Reuters reports the EU’s lead Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, would like to hold the talks in French, not English (an EU spokeswoman said no official language had been agreed). 

As for the Home office? Aucun commentaire.

Treat yourself or a friend this Christmas to a New Statesman subscription for just £2

But on Twitter, British social media users are finding it all très amusant.

In the UK, foreign language teaching has suffered from years of neglect. The government may regret this now . . .

Content from our partners
Rupert Osborne: “Financial education is key”
A future free from tobacco and nicotine
Why workplace menopause support is crucial for gender equality and the economy