Maurice Taylor, who heads tire manufacturer Titan International, told the French government yesterday that his firm would not take over a money-losing Goodyear factory. “How stupid do you think we are?” he demanded.

I have visited that factory a couple of times. The French workforce gets paid high wages but only works for three hours. They get one hour for breaks and lunch, they talk for three and they work for three. I told this to the French union workers to their faces. They told me that’s the French way!