French Prime Minister Manuel Valls insisted he was “pro-business” on a trip to London on Monday where he defended his Socialist government against a string of criticism of its economic and business reforms.

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Valls met British counterpart David Cameron and British and French executives, giving a speech at the Guildhall in the heart of the British capital's City financial district, where he sought to dispel the notion that France’s government was hostile to business.

"My government is pro-business!" he told British business leaders in English, quipping: "A French prime minister in the City is an event. A Socialist French prime minister in the City is a revolution!"

Relations between France and Britain briefly soured in 2012, after Cameron said that he would “roll out the red carpet” for French executives following the election of President François Hollande who had declared “that his real enemy was the world of finance”.

Although ties between the two countries have since improved, France’s economy has been plagued by high unemployment and stagnant growth.

Valls has provoked anger on the left of the Socialist partly by defending stalled reforms to cut charges on companies and to cut public spending, and praising the importance of businesses.

The French prime minister, who arrived in London late on Sunday, began his trip by meeting the French business community in London, home to more than 350,000 French people.

He admitted that France's economic growth had been stuck in a "long breakdown" but said people should not "resign themselves" and encouraged British businesses to invest in France.

Valls made similar comments after meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in September, and he is expected to take the message to the Netherlands and Luxembourg on October 20.

Valls trip comes after Andy Street, the managing director of retailer John Lewis, apologised last week after saying that “nothing works” in France and that the country was “finished”.

Street, who described France as “hopeless and downbeat” and advised people with investments there “to get them out quickly,” later said the comments were not meant to be taken seriously but that “he clearly went too far”.

Valls warns Britain not to leave EU

Valls also used the opportunity to advise Britain against leaving the EU, warning that the country -- and in particular the City -- would "lose a lot" if it were to "turn its back" on Europe.

"France wants Britain to stay in the European Union," he said, calling also for joint action to reform Europe and make it "more intelligible to bring it closer to the people".

"There is a choice that we can and should make together: reform Europe to put growth, competitiveness and jobs back at the heart of its priorities," he said.

Later on Monday, Valls is due to give an interview with the BBC’s flagship Newsnight programme and meet with Ed Miliband, leader of the centre-left opposition Labour Party.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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