Tonight:
5°c
Sarkozy wants MP for French in London
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent17 Apr 2009
A FRENCH MP could soon be elected for London and the rest of Britain.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed giving expatriates in the UK, many of whom live in London, their own deputy to represent them in the National Assembly in Paris.
Mr Sarkozy hailed the British capital as "one of the great French cities" when he visited London during the presidential election in France in 2007.
Tens of thousands of Frenchmen and women live in London and up to 400,000 in the whole of the UK.
New French MPs would also represent expatriates in Germany, the USA, Switzerland, eastern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula and Monaco, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.
However, the French president has been accused of devising the plan for 11 new overseas deputies to boost his parliamentary support.
The French Socialist Party has accused Mr Sarkozy of gerrymandering tactics to increase backing for his Right-wing UMP party.
A Socialist spokesman said: "Studies show French people living abroad are more likely to vote for a centre-Right party than a Left-wing one.
"This is being proposed as something that is good for French expatriates, but in fact it is just a way for the government to give itself another 11 safe seats."
Many French émigrés to London are university graduates, professionals in the City, chefs and other skilled workers.
Reader views (14)
I think some people misunderstood:
we'd not elect a French MP to the British parliament but an expat MP to the French one (at the moment we can only go physically vote in France, for a local MP, in parliamentary elections).
I don't care either way since I'm never going back to France.. I much rather wish I could vote for the British parliament!
Commonwealth citizens on non-permanent visas can but Europeans (that don't need visas) can't.. we can get taxed though..
- Sandra, London, UK, 23/04/2009 13:01
Report abuse
London one of the great French cities?
He really knows how to appeal to the English hearts and minds doesn't he?
Where is my vote on the EU Constitution?
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 20/04/2009 09:35
Report abuse
I've got to laugh at these comments about "Scottish MPs telling us English what to do". I didn't hear you all complaining when for centuries, the English parliament has been telling the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish what to do!
This is once-Great Britain. If we don't all stick together as indigenous British, then we are doomed to become regions of the EUSSR; which is what this Sarkozy thing is leading to.
- Rob ( A Proud Scot), Lanarkshire, Scotland, 19/04/2009 21:55
Report abuse
We have Scottish MPs in our parliament telling us English how to live our life,so one Frenchman will make no difference.
- Stan White, leeds, 18/04/2009 08:38
Report abuse
Yes ex Brits do get looked after here as much as the French...
- Tom, london, 17/04/2009 14:41
Report abuse
When Bliar is appointed to the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth and Gormless Brown is shunted off to Brussels - and when Jackboot Straw and MISS PIGGY SMIFF are a distant memory - it is highly likely that Sarkozy himself will be dictating how the British should conduct their lives.
The UK is undoubtedly the laughing stock of the entire civilised world.
Peeps living in banana republics in Africa have more freedom than anyone in the UK currently has.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK, 17/04/2009 13:39
Report abuse
So Chris Guppy, you are complaining about the treatment you receive from the French or the British authorities ? I am confused.
- Ed, London, 17/04/2009 13:31
Report abuse
The guy is a looney, but at least he puts his country and his nationals first.
- Dereck, London, England, 17/04/2009 13:16
Report abuse
oh for goodness' sake why suggest an MP? There's already something called an EMBASSY ....
- Marianne, SW France, 17/04/2009 12:25
Report abuse
amazing really considering the lack of anything the british get living in france.
- Chris Guppy, france, 17/04/2009 11:35
Report abuse
Barbus - you can certainly access the French health system 
if you are a visitor, (ii) if you have lived in France for less than 2 years or are of retirement age, or (iii) if you pay the normal social charges (just as the French workers in the UK pay their NI)
- Brian Clapham, London, 17/04/2009 11:06
Report abuse
Its a plot to invade the England by stealth I tell you! First, the 'auld alliance' installs a Scottish Prime Minister and then the French complete the pincer movement by appointing French MPs.
When you start noticing them serving escargots with your chips, you know they've taken over.
Doomed, I tell you, we're all doomed!
- George, London, 17/04/2009 11:01
Report abuse
Most of the French I know who live in London live here because they have no interest in France or French politics, and thus would need no such person. This really does smack of the sort of thing Blair would do whilst in power to win himself the ex-pat postal vote.
- Bob, Cheam, 17/04/2009 10:15
Report abuse
Wow!! thats a lot of French who can avail themselves of our free health system, pity it is not reciprocated.
- Barbus, Liverpool, 17/04/2009 10:14
Report abuse
