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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ASSOCIATED PRESS

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.”