There is more to the recent deterioration of Franco-British relations than you might think from the latest episode of ancestral rivalry. What is at stake is the ability of the two countries to co-operate to make a difference in an increasingly lawless, ruthless world.
First, a few facts. Many in Britain are still convinced that the French position vis à vis Brexit expresses a wish to punish the UK. That interpretation is wrong for two main reasons: in spite of Britain’s attempt to divide and conquer, the 27 EU members have been united throughout the four-plus years of negotiations. France has never been isolated, nor could it have imposed the position alone. The British people voted for Brexit. That is their sovereign decision. They do not deserve to be punished nor should the British government have expected to be rewarded for it.