A leading contender in France's presidential race used a visit to Downing Street to appeal to "bankers, talents, researchers, academics" to move across the Channel after Brexit.

Speaking on the steps of Number 10, Emmanuel Macron, who is among the favourites to win in the election in May, launched his appeal after meeting the Prime Minister on a visit to London for a rally of expat voters.

The centrist candidate said his actions as leader would include "a series of initiatives to get talented people in research and lots of fields working here to come to France".

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"I was very happy to see that some academics and researchers in the UK because of Brexit are considering coming to France to work," he said.


"It will be part of my programme to be attractive for these kinds of people.

"I want banks, talents, researchers, academics and so on.

"I think that France and the European Union are a very attractive space now so in my programme I will do everything I can to make it attractive and successful."

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He said that he had spoken to Theresa May to assure he was open to a "fair execution of Brexit" which would protect French and European interests.

The 39-year-old later addressed 3,000 French voters in Westminster's Central Hall.

Mr Macron, who only started his En Marche movement in April after leaving the ruling Socialist party, has come from behind and led polls in recent weeks. But his chances of victory could be slipping.

The National Front's Marine Le Pen is favourite to win the first round on 23 April.

However, polls suggest she would lose to Mr Macron or Republican candidate Francois Fillon in the second and final round on 7 May.

Mr Fillon's campaign has been hit by a "fake jobs" scandal, but in a new poll he is favourite while in two other surveys he is joint favourite with Mr Macron.

Mr Fillon is accused of paying his British wife and other family members for work they did not do. He insists the jobs they had were "real".

Mr Macron is the only candidate to request a meeting with Mrs May, although Downing Street made clear there was a long-standing Government policy not to engage with the far-right National Front party.

A spokesman said the meeting was not unprecedented and added that Tony Blair had met Nicolas Sarkozy at Number 10 when he was running for the presidency in 2007.