Europe threatens to shun British goods just as Starmer embraces Brussels

Ian Bond, of the Centre for European Reform, says France’s lingering Brexit resentment is not shared in other capitals such as Berlin, Rome and Brussels.

“I have heard EU officials who are quite frustrated by the fact that some of the member state officials that they have to deal with are still relitigating hurts from 10 years ago, rather than looking to the future,” he says.

“But in the end, the commissioners are the servants of the member states. If they can’t get agreement from the member states, then things will not go anywhere.”

He reckons, however, that France’s primary motivation is to protect its defence industry from a perceived threat from British competitors such as BAE Systems.

He isn’t sure France would take the same hardline approach to Britain in other sectors, such as the car industry, where the interdependencies are powerful and mutually beneficial.