Boris Johnson Puts Foot On Table During Meeting With Emmanuel Macron – And It's All Kicked Off

Prime Minister accused of disrespect during meeting with the French president at the Elysee in Paris.
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Boris Johnson has taken a cavalier approach to Brexit diplomacy during a crunch meeting with Emmanuel Macron.

The UK prime minister met the French president on Thursday as part of his tour of European capitals to forge a fresh Brexit deal.

A day after the PM was given a “blistering” 30-day timetable by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Johnson went to Paris to thrash things out with Macron, who remains a tougher nut to crack.

As the pair posed for the cameras, Johnson was captured looking supremely relaxed:

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With one foot on the table and legs akimbo the Prime Minister appeared to be sporting the classic manspread.

However, footage of the incident later suggested the brief gesture was a shared joke, with the prime minister appearing to pose for the cameras as the pair laughed.

Nonetheless, social media reacted in a manner that recalled the countless times they’ve been scolded for a similar act at home.

As ever, it was reminiscent of a scene from The Thick Of It

And was there no respect for history?

Video of the moment the foot went on table shows Macron suggesting the table would make a decent footstool, and the PM was happy to oblige

And there were other slightly odd moments shared between the two.

But it all seems to have done little harm: the Elysee later called Thursday’s encounter “complete” and “constructive.”

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