‘Stretching every sinew’ for an EU deal

You started your diplomatic career in Paris –
are you glad to be back?

It feels great. It’s a kind of circle, from a professional
point of view and a personal one. It was my first
overseas posting and that leaves strong positive
memories. And although I’ve done a lot in New
York and Brussels in-between, often working closely
with the French, it’s fantastic to come back. On a
personal level, I met my wife here and we got married
in the south west and we’ve kept a strong link
with France, so it’s a pleasure for both of us.

Your predecessor said he hoped for a
‘non-Brexit’ and was keen for a strong deal to
be achieved. What’s your view on that?

The plan is to secure an agreement with our European
partners, I hope as early as the European
Council meeting on February 18-19 [just after
Connexion went to press]. The aim is to get a deal
that’s sufficiently robust and answers the issues
we’ve raised so the prime minister can propose it in
a referendum and we can get a positive vote in support
of that to remain in the EU.
I am confident we’re making good progress but it’s
a negotiation among 28 and we’ll have to see if we
can tie up all the loose ends in time. We are stretching
every sinew. If we get a satisfactory deal I’ll be
happy to support the presentation of that package
in a referendum. It could take place in summer – I
think once we have a deal we should get on with it.

You have worked in Brussels. Presumably you
feel that the EU performs a useful role?

My view is that Britain is a big country and we can
survive outside the EU but we can survive and
prosper better in a reformed union if we are able to
get the issues we’ve raised dealt with. Given
everything that’s going on, in the Middle East, with
the terrorist threat and with the global economy, I
think there are strong arguments for trying to deal
with those together with our European partners.

Are there tensions with the French over this?

People are very positive and supportive of trying to
find a solution so that Britain can remain in the EU.
That’s the message I get very clearly.
The other big issue is the preparations for the
bilateral summit on March 3 in Amiens - the first
for a few years. It will be immediately after the
Euro pean Council and the first big bilateral moment
with one of our European partners and an opportunity
for us to underline the strength of the relationship
between France and Britain across many areas.
We will touch on Europe, but also energy innovation
and the deep-rooted defence and security
cooperation that we’re strengthening in terms of
tackling terrorism – not least following the horrible,
tragic events of last year.
We’ll try to give a flavour of the breadth and energy
and vitality of the relationship. Doing it in
Amiens also allows us to look forward to the fact
that in June and July many people will come to mark
the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.
Some people think the expat vote will be
decisive in the referendum – do you think so?
I think it’s important those who can vote and want
to do so have the opportunity, so we have been supporting
the Electoral Commission and trying to get
the news out. I’d like to remind people to tell their
friends so they think about whether this is an
opportunity they want to take up.
Of course there is the problem for some, and I’m
sure some readers feel this strongly, that if they have
been away for more than 15 years they are not
going to be able to sign up, under the current rules.
I understand it does cause frustration, however a
lot of people won’t be caught by it. For those that
are, all I can say is the government committed to
bringing forward some legislation on the 15-year
rule and will do that. However, if we are set for a
referendum this summer, I don’t think it will realistically
be sorted out in time.

But do you think the expat vote will be
especially important in deciding the outcome?

I think we need to be careful about that because we
are absolutely not telling people what to vote. The
point is that people should have an opportunity to
express their view, whatever that view is.
We hear changes are under way in Marseille?
We are moving the consulate to some new premises
in the redeveloped docks area north of the Vieux
Port. We will have modern, custom-designed premises,
which I hope will give a better customer experience.
The move will be in May so we are ready for
the summer which is traditionally busy. We have a
refreshed team there, with a new head, Michèle
Solari, and I’m looking forward to seeing them all.
I will be getting out and about visiting some of our
other consulates too - in Lyon and Bordeaux.
I have some understanding of the issues that can
arise, from friends and colleagues in the south west,
where we’ve had a house for 25 years, so I hope I’ll
be sympathetic to those concerns. But if anyone
wants to raise anything with me, my mail box and
Twitter account are always open.

• UK REFERENDUM: All Britons who have not been out of the UK for more than 15 years can register to vote at gov.uk/register-to-vote

If you were registered last year you should check you are still on the list with the relevant UK council if you have not been asked to confirm eligibility.
You apply for a postal or proxy vote in a second stage. In view of previous problems a proxy vote may be the most sure. See our website for updates.