French President Macron reportedly called PM Boris Johnson ‘a clown’ and ‘a knucklehead’

French president Emmanuel Macron has branded Boris Johnson a “clown”, reports have suggested.

According to the Times and the Telegraph, satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné reported that Macron privately made disparaging comments about the UK prime minister as tensions ran high over the migrant crisis in the Channel.

Macron’s comments were made privately to a small group of his advisers during a visit last week to Croatia, according to French satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine. UK Business Minister George Freeman suggested the remarks belonged in the ‘pantomime season’ and linked them to the impending French elections.

“The Home Secretary is working closely with French counterparts on it, and the Prime Minister and the UK Government are looking for a sensible conversation with France about it,” Freeman went onto say. “Of course, the Prime Minister isn’t a clown, he is the elected Prime Minister of this country with a very big mandate, leading this country through the pandemic,” he told Sky News.

A senior Government source insisted that Mr. Johnson wants good relations with France but acknowledged they may have to wait until after next year’s presidential election for the situation to improve.

“The Prime Minister continues to be a staunch and public advocate for the strength of the UK-French relationship,” the source said. “Our approach will not change, even if we have to wait until the other side of the French presidential election for a change of tone.”