French in UK look to new opportunities as Britain warms towards the EU

This interview is part of a series by The Connexion on the UK Prime Minister’s recent comments about rejoining the EU, how likely a return is and what form it might take.

Olivier Cadic, senator for French citizens living abroad, hopes for an easing of rules for young French people spending time in the country, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham looks towards a closer relationship with the EU.

Mr Cadic, recently elected for his third term, said the British prime minister’s new openness likely reflected changing British attitudes, as he added polls now showed about 60% favour a return to the EU, and about 80% of young people.

“The government is also starting to recognise that there was foreign influence on the Brexit vote and that Brexit has weakened both the EU and the UK terribly.

“I think people didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, but when you see the polls, inevitably, at some point, politicians would have seized on it.”

He added: “Today, we’re facing a situation that the majority of people didn’t want. I think there are many who were misled. Many of those who voted for Brexit have since passed away. A new generation is coming through that no longer sees downsides to being in the EU.

“People are realising what they’ve lost in terms of mobility and supermarket choice. What’s more, companies are in any case forced to comply with EU rules because otherwise they can’t export.” 

Asked about the reaction of French people in the UK to Mr Burnham’s recent remarks, he said: “We, of course, are very pleased about it.

“We can see that nationalist rhetoric achieves nothing, other than to set different groups against each other.

“So, now, discussions will start. However, it took time to leave and it would take time to return, and it would require a [referendum] vote again.” 

The question now is which prime minister will hold one, Mr Cadic said. 

But he said one was unlikely before the next general election, expected in 2029 at the latest. If Mr Burnham includes this in his next manifesto it could help him to be re-elected, he said. 

A return of the UK “would change everything” for French people in the UK, he said.

“We can clearly see the downside on several levels. 

“Take the universities, for example. Now, there’s nothing but Chinese students. Europeans can no longer come. It’s far too expensive [as Europeans can no longer study at ‘home’ fee rates].” 

The British have seen that, in many sectors, if there are now fewer European immigrants, they are replaced by others from elsewhere, he said.

“The UK needs foreign workers, whether it's in caring professions, or restaurants.” 

The Connexion recalled how the Centre Charles Péguy, in London, shut after almost six decades helping young French people find jobs to experience British culture and improve their language skills – because it was no longer possible for them to cross the Channel and look for work easily.

“It’s exactly that,” Mr Cadic said. “And even for those for whom companies pay high fees to bring them over, they are then very dependent on that company and find themselves blocked if they want to move on. 

“It means that the best-qualified are no longer staying in the UK, because it’s very difficult for a French person to build a career.”

Mr Cadic, who also works in the comic book industry, said business people have equally found that “everything has gone downhill and we must pay a lot of fees we didn’t pay before and fill in a lot more paperwork”.

He described how customs formalities, additional charges and delivery issues had made direct sales of books to European customers increasingly difficult.  

“Now we’re no longer doing any individual online business with the continent at all. It’s been a catastrophe.”

Mr Cadic has a website, Libres et indépendants, where he sets out his priorities for the years ahead. One of them relates to French schools abroad, which he said had also been hit hard “because a lot fewer French people are going to live in the UK”.