Boris Johnson has slammed Emmanuel Macron as a “nuisance” who was determined to “punish Brexit Britain”.

The former Conservative Prime Minister accused the French President of “weaponising” the ongoing small boats crisis during his time in office.

In his forthcoming book, Mr Johnson recalled suggesting, although he claims he was “improvising”, a new road link across the English Channel to link the two countries.

However, he claims Mr Macron dismissed the idea with an abrupt “non”.

In an excerpt of Mr Johnson’s Unleashed published in the Mail on Sunday, the former PM said it seemed Macron was “suddenly appalled at the idea of all those rapacious Brits swarming across a bridge to his relatively underpopulated country”.

Mr Johnson went on to say Macron was “personally charming” but seemed determined to punish Britain for leaving the European Union.

He wrote: “Although Macron was personally charming, and although we often agreed on important issues, he really meant it when he said that Brexit Britain must be punished.

“On some issues I am afraid I therefore suspected him of being a positive nuisance.”

Mr Johnson also said it seemed “at least possible” Mr Macron was “weaponising” the problem of migrants crossing in small boats.

He said it seemed the French president was allowing this “sufficient numbers to drive the British public nuts and undermine one of the most important facts of Brexit – that we had taken back control of our borders”.

The excerpt added: “I say all this, really, to explain why – after a long and determined attempt to build bridges (even literally) – I more or less despaired of Macron.