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Lille (France) – French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, during a visit on Friday to the coast where more than 70 migrants perished in 2024 trying to cross the English Channel, said he was ready for a “showdown” with London over immigration.

“We need a new relationship with the British. Brexit has changed the game. Only the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement between the United Kingdom and the EU can really change the situation,” he said in an interview with La Voix du Nord published on Friday.

“If I have to engage in a showdown, I will,” the minister warned. “France cannot handle the issue alone. The United Kingdom must take its full share, as must our European partners.”

“In the long term, there will need to be a legal path (of immigration, Ed.) to Great Britain and a readmission path not only to France but also to neighboring countries,” added Mr. Retailleau. (November 29, 2024)

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