France and the UK fall in to step on policy issues

Prime Minister David Cameron said he and recently-elected French president François Hollande found “much common ground” when they met in Downing Street yesterday.

On his first presidential visit to the UK, Mr Hollande was greeted with a guard of honour before talks began.

Their relationship has appeared strained since Mr Cameron refused to meet Mr Hollande during the election.

But at a joint press conference in No 10, Mr Cameron said “good discussions” had ranged across trade, Europe, foreign policy and defence co-operation between the UK and France.

Both agreed that measures approved last month by European leaders to shore up the eurozone needed to be implemented “rapidly”, Mr Cameron said.

However, EC proposals to 
increase Brussels’ annual spending by €14 billion were considered “unacceptable”.