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President Emmanuel Macron has called for Britain and France to move on from Brexit and work \u201cside by side\u201d on issues including migration and defence, declaring \u201clet\u2019s not allow the Channel to grow wider\u201d.<\/p>\n
Macron, addressing both Houses of Parliament at the start of a three-day state visit to the UK, said Brexit was \u201cdeeply regrettable\u201d, but insisted that over the past few years \u201cthis alliance became stronger\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said that although Britain was no longer in the EU, it could not stand on the sidelines of Europe. He vowed that the two countries would \u201cdeliver together\u201d on tackling illegal migration.<\/p>\n
During the first state visit by an EU leader since Brexit, Macron mapped out common interests in defence, trade and migration, arguing the two countries shared a \u201cspecial responsibility\u201d for the security of Europe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is an expectation in Europe that faced with revisionist neighbours, our two countries have a special responsibility for the security of the continent,\u201d Macron said. \u201cAnd it is time to articulate it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The speech was an effort from the French leader to show a united front with the UK as the two countries confront challenges including an expansionist Russia and an increasingly isolationist Trump administration in the US.<\/p>\n
He said that the UK\u2019s decision to leave the EU was \u201ca decision that we respect, even if we find it deeply regrettable\u201d, adding that in recent years the relationship with the UK had improved.<\/p>\n
But there are still clear divisions between the two countries. <\/p>\n
A migration deal on asylum seeker returns to France has not yet been agreed and Macron has been accused by some British politicians of failing to do enough to tackle irregular migration<\/a>.<\/p>\n Macron said that while \u201chope for a better life elsewhere is legitimate\u201d, he added \u201cwe cannot allow our rules\u00a0for taking in people to be exploited\u201d. He said it was vital for Britain and France to work with third countries to disrupt the flow of migrants across the continent.<\/p>\n