French President Emmanuel Macron wants to avoid any “games, gestures and provocations”, according to his Europe minister, Amelie de Montchalin, as Mr Johnson threatens no deal Brexit. France said it was time to “get past the stage” of the Withdrawal Agreement. Instead she said Mr Macron wants to move on to negotiate their future relationship “calmly” and was ready to “work” with the new Prime Minister. He has invited Mr Johnson to his summer residence for talks. Mr Johnson yesterday told MPs his “preferred option” was to leave the EU with a heavily altered version of his predecessor’s deal – scrapping the controversial Northern Ireland backstop in the process.

He also pledged to “turbo-charge” Britain’s preparations for no deal in order to deliver Brexit by October 31.

Amelie de Montchalin, France’s minister for European affairs, said her boss will welcome Mr Johnson to France in the coming weeks.

She insisted Paris would continue to block any hope of renegotiating the current Brexit deal, but admit it was important to keep one eye on the future.

“What is still to negotiate is the future relationship,” Ms Montchalin said.

“We have to create a working relationship and not get into games, gestures and provocations.”

Even after Mr Johnson’s first Commons address was branded “combative” by Michel Barnier, Paris is ready to do business.

“We want to work with him. Work,” Ms Montchalin added.

She even said the EU would be open to a further Brexit delay beyond October 31 if Britain could present a good reason.

She added red lines “only created tensions in diplomacy”.

Yesterday Mr Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, told the bloc’s leaders that he believes Mr Johnson’s plan to scrap the backstop is “unacceptable”.

In a diplomatic note, the eurocrat wrote: “PM Johnson has stated that if an agreement is to be reached, it goes by way of eliminating the backstop.

“This is, of course, unacceptable and not within the mandate of the European Council.”

He warned the EU27 would “have to be ready” for a situation where Mr Johnson started planning for no-deal, which would “heap pressure on the unity” of the other nations.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission’s outgoing president, also held his first talks with Mr Johnson.

The pair exchanged mobile numbers and promised to hold further talks, but Mr Juncker warned that the withdrawal agreement would not be altered.

A Commission spokeswoman said: “President Juncker congratulated Prime Minister Johnson on his appointment and reaffirmed his commitment to working together in the best possible way,” she said.

“President Juncker reiterated that the Commission remains available over the coming weeks should the United Kingdom wish to hold talks and clarify its position in more detail.”

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