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French finance minister says he's "worried" about Britain

Reuters ECONOMY
Published September 30,2022
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French Minister for Economy, Finance, Industry and Digital Security Bruno Le Maire attends a news conference to present French government 2023 budget bill at the Bercy Finance Ministry in Paris, France, September 26, 2022. (REUTERS Photo)

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday he was concerned about the situation in Britain, where Prime Minister Liz Truss' plan for huge tax cuts has unleashed chaos on financial markets.

"I am not worried about the euro but I am worried about the situation in Britain," Le Maire told Europe 1 radio.

"It shows that (...) dramatic announcements do not work," he said, adding that Britain was also paying the cost of leaving the European Union.

Liz Truss' fiscal plan, set out by Finance Minister Kwasi Kwarteng last Friday, prompted a crisis of confidence in the British government, hammering the value of the pound and government bond prices and jolting global markets.

"Leaving Europe comes at a considerable cost because Europe offers protection (...) the euro zone protected us during the Covid crisis," Le Maire said.