The murder of a British child in a French town has ignited a diplomatic firestorm. Whitehall sources tell me the Foreign Office is demanding a full explanation from Paris over apparent police failures that allowed the killer to evade capture. The child's body was found buried in a shallow grave after a frantic search.
Leaked internal reports from French authorities suggest missteps in the initial investigation. A backbench MP, already mobilising colleagues, called it a 'gross dereliction of duty.' The Prime Minister's office is treading carefully.
No one wants a full-blown row with Macron. But the mood in the Lobby is mutinous. Scotland Yard is watching closely.
There are whispers of a joint taskforce if the French don't get their house in order. Polling suggests the public is furious. The Home Secretary will face questions in the Commons tomorrow.
Stand by.
