French President Emmanuel Macron says Donald Trump is not a ‘classical politician’.
Speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr, he criticised the US president’s alleged comments about African countries and called for respectful relationships.
French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested the UK could get a special trade deal with the EU after Brexit.
But he warned that Britain would not have full access to the single market without accepting its rules.
Speaking to Andrew Marr, he warned – as Brussels has already done – that the UK could not “cherry-pick” the elements it liked.
A deal might fall somewhere between the single market and a trade agreement, he said.
Mr Macron’s comments came during his first visit to the UK since becoming French president, where he held talks with Prime Minister Theresa May.
In the interview, to be broadcast on Sunday, the leader said the UK should not gain access to the single market without accepting its “preconditions”, which include freedom of movement across the EU, budget contributions and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.
“There should be no cherry-picking in the single market because that’s a dismantling of the single market,” he said.
“As soon as you decide not to join the [EU] preconditions, it’s not a full access.
“What is important is to not make people believe that it is possible to [have your cake and eat it].”
He said the UK could have “deeper relations” with the EU than other countries, as with Norway, but ruled out full single market access as “you decided to leave”.
Speaking in a separate interview, with German newspaper Bild, Mrs May insisted any new deal between the UK and the EU was “not about cherry-picking”.
“We want to negotiate a comprehensive free trade agreement and a security partnership,” she said.
“Because we don’t start from the position of, say, Canada or Norway – there are significant and long-grown economic links between us.
“What I want and hope is that the importance of a lasting good relationship for people on both sides of the Channel is recognised.”