Brexiteers celebrate demise of ‘very arrogant’ Michel Barnier as chaos erupts in France

Brexiteers have filled up their glasses in preparation to celebrate the demise of “very arrogant” nemesis Michel Barnier as he faces a vote of no confidence that could see him ousted.

Mr Barnier, the French Prime Minister, tried to pass his radical budget reforms without a vote in the country’s National Assembly, sparking a “motion of censure” among rival parties – including Marine Le Pen’s National Rally.The move, which has backfired spectacularly, has pushed the French minority government – and Mr Barnier’s role as leader of it – to the brink of collapse.

Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng told the Express: “I don’t think there’ll be much sorrow… at his departure. I just leave them to stew in their own chaos, I’m not someone to jump up and down.”

“The man was a very arrogant technocrat, I think even the French think that.”

Mr Barnier, 73, who served as Brussels’ chief negotiator was a “most unscrupulous operator,” according to former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe. His attention to detail and uncompromising style saw him outlast a rotating cast of British negotiating counterparts, including David Davis, civil servant Olly Robbins, and Lord Frost.

Ms Widdecombe, who is now Reform UK’s immigration spokesperson, said the Frenchman cynically used the unique circumstances presented by Northern Ireland’s position on the island of Ireland to make Britain’s exit from the EU bumpy.

She added: “He was perfectly happy to use the Northern Ireland situation to try and thwart ”.

“He believed in terms that we should be punished for leaving, to discourage others to do the same. He never made any secret of the fact that he didn’t want to be success for Britain.”

The febrile atmosphere inside the French National Assembly, has led some to suggest that Mr Macron’s place in the Elysee Palace may too be in jeopardy.

Tory MP and Brexiteer Sir John Hayes said France’s political turmoil is “illustrative of when you have a dodgy Blair-like politician running the country”.

Asked whether he think’s Mr Barnier’s demise could bring with it Macron’s, he added: “I think he is increasingly unpopular in France and understandably so, so it could well do [end Macron’s tenure].

“What France needs is what Britain needs – a properly conservative government and let’s hope that ends up being the result of all this.

Following the election, Mr Macron’s centrist coalition was overtaken by a new coalition on the radical left – the New Popular Front. National Rally, who were tipped to be the leaders of the largest coalition in the Assembly, came in third.

Despite the disappointing result for Ms Le Pen’s party, Mr Macron’s bloc of parliamentarians was still rendered relatively powerless, squeezed between the hard Left and Right. “He’s clearly a total lame duck and his calling of the election when he did must rank as one of the most stupid decisions that any leader has made in the last five years”, Mr Kwarteng said.

“He’s completely sabotaged himself. He had a majority, he blew that up unnecessarily and he’s left with this mess. He’s got two and a half years of his term in which he’ll be a lame duck.

Meanwhile, in Paris, around 2000 taxi drivers are expected to descend on the Assembly in protest at proposed changes to their responsibilities under the law to take the unwell or injured for medical care.

The rules require cabbies to offer car-sharing for medical patient transport, where multiple patients may need to be transported simultaneously. Drivers argue that this reform, part of cost-saving measures by the French National Health Insurance Fund (CNAM), will mean they will have to provide additional discounts, making their business unviable.

Recent demonstrations have included rolling blockades and the use of slow-traffic tactics in Paris and major southern cities, such as Marseille and Bordeaux.