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Emmanuel Macron's success in the French presidential election means he will play a key role in the Brexit process - so it was no surprise Theresa May was quick to congratulate him on his win.

Downing Street stressed that France is one of the UK's closest allies and the Prime Minister looked forward to working with him "on a wide range of shared priorities".

But the French president-elect has struck a tough tone on the forthcoming negotiations and used a visit to Downing Street during his election campaign to launch an audacious bid to lure bankers and academics away from the UK.

Mr Macron has warned he will vigorously defend the European Union's single market and favours a "hard" Brexit.

Mr Macron told March's edition of Monocle magazine Britain had made a "serious mistake" by voting to quit the bloc.

He added: "Boris Johnson enjoys giving flamboyant speeches but has no strategic vision; the turmoil he created the day after Brexit proves it.

"Nigel Farage and Mr Johnson are responsible for this crime: they sailed the ship into battle and jumped overboard at the moment of crisis.

"Theresa May has handled it but what has been happening since then? On the geopolitical level as well as on the financial, realignment and submission to the US. What is going to happen is not 'taking back control': it's servitude."

In February, after talks with Mrs May, Mr Macron spoke of his desire to encourage French expatriates in the UK to return to France.

"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."

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But in talks with London Mayor Sadiq Khan he also said that the Brexit negotiations must not be used to "punish" the UK, insisting that "my deep wish is to have Great Britain with the European Union in another relationship".

While Mr Macron's pro-EU stance may make him a tough opponent in the Brexit process, the chaos in Brussels unleashed by a Marine Le Pen victory could have been worse.

The National Front leader's promise of a "Frexit" referendum on France's position in the EU would have sent shivers down the spines of leaders and officials across the union.

They could have been tempted to strike a tough deal with the UK in order to persuade French voters that it is not worth the risk of going it alone.

Instead, the Elysee Palace will have an occupant who is "100% pro-European", as the senior MEP in the Brexit negotiations said.

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit negotiator, said Mr Macron could now "take the lead to make a new deal for Europe happen".