As an Englishman living in France, I am encouraged by Mr Blunkett's article, despite his many mistakes before. I have seen the change in Britain on my visits, and it has come at a huge cost to individuals lives. Yes it is richer, well, some are, but there is indeed a mess although i don't understand your Tel Aviv commentator's point of view.

There is a very real fear, amongst my adult children's friends, most of whom, are of mixed cultures, and they see no way out. These people apply for jobs for which they are qualified, but when a photo or certain name spelling is seen on the c.v., forget it. These people are disenfranchised, disillusioned French. And it is Sarkozy who tarred them all with the same brush when he had the chance to offer an olive branch. Racism is alive in French schools, and from the teachers ! If Sarkozy can deal with this properly at roots level, France may have a chance. This is a wonderful country in which to live for some, but shop open hours 24/7 is not it.

HUBBLE, Evian-les-Bains, France

I sincerely hope you're right, David, but Sarkozy as president will be an entirely different politician from the one you dealt with. For a start, his policy on Turkey's non-entry into the EU, with which I agree wholeheartedly, is the complete antithesis to current British (and American) policy.
He also wishes to bypass the French electorate with a new EU treaty. Will that not prove to be the last straw - pardon the pun - for Gordon Brown faced with a David Cameron who is likely to go into the next British general election on an EU renegotiation ticket? Finally, will Sarkozy surrender
France's veto on the abandonment of the Common Agricultural Policy in 2013? I believe it is more likely that France will win the Rugby World Cup in October this year than the new president - who will no doubt hand over the cup to the winning team - will change France's stance on the latter. Still, vive la France!

Dr David Green, Athens, Greece

And Mrs Thatcher wasn't a hardline right-winger?

From what strange perspective do you write?

John Chuckman, Toronto, Toronto

Good article Mr Blukett. I hope you are right because UK working well with France and Germany is crucial to our future.

Max, Manchester, UK

Sarkozy might make a great UK Prime Minister when he's finished in France - his policies of (1) making overtime pay tax-free to encourage people to work more. (2) putting in place tougher sentencing for repeat offenders, and (3) toughening the criteria for immigrants trying to bring their families to UK - would be real winners for us.

Bob, Shrewsbury, UK

In French, the expression ``Mieux vaut tard que jamais'' more or less means ``Better late than never.''

Am I to understand that the French in May, 2007, are about to set foot into modern times ?

In French, the expression ``Voir, c'est droire'' more or less means ``Seeing is believing.''

mark nolan, schuylerville ,

Blunkett cites the deal he made with Sarkozy over Sangatte as evidence that Sarkozy is "someone we can work with", as if in the belief that the Sangatte agreement was in some way of benefit to Britain.

In order to seal the Sangatte deal, Blunkett agreed to accept into Britain thousands of illegal immigrants that otherwise might not have succeded in entering Britain at all. Furthermore, since the so called 'agreement' following which Sangatte was supposed to have been permanently closed down, Sangatte 2 has arisen to take it's place and the flow of illegal immigrants through France to Britain has continued unabated. Some deal! The kind of deal that shows we in Britain should be very wary of ever doing business with Sarkozy again!

Larry Nunn, Northampton, UK

Written by a Blairite is all that needs to be said.

Steve Wynn, London,

As if someone in Tel Aviv can have any loyalty to Britain.

rock_on, paris, france

Mr Blunkett is hoping against hope that Mr Sarkozy would not go with the traditional Franco-German alliance which served the two governments well. My bet he will work closely with Ms Merkel as his predecessors did with a German Chancellor.

Also, Mr Blunkett forgets that Blair himself was a creature born out of Mrs Thatcher's policies. Without her policies for example,he would have not been able to keep the unions at a distance, not been able to accept the existence of nuclear weapons ( he was a CND member), not been able to accept the EU ( he was like other labour comrades anti-EU).

With all the above as evidence, I admire Mr Blunkett's spin!!

Gary Reid, LONDON, UK

If indeed, he is anything like David Blunkett, then God help France. Personally, even if he isn't like Blunkett, then I still believe France will rue the day they ever elected him.

Jennifer Hynes, Plymouth, England

Oui, it's time the French joined the global bandwagon in the new millennium. Perhaps, they could begin by swallowing their pride first -- especially in their perception of their 'superior' culture that regards everyone else's as inferior -- and learn a few words of the local languages wherever they may be doing business eg. the French flagship hypermarket, Carrefour, established overseas. Fancy, having to greet their French staff doing their stint in Malaysia, "Bonjour, monsieur, comment 'allez vous?" I have yet to hear them greet the locals here "Selamat pagi, encik, apa khabar?" And if there are those who can appreciate the delicious but quite smelly Roquefort or Swedish Surstromming (admittedly, an acquired taste for many) then I find it inconceivable that others ie. mad dogs, Englishmen and, well, Frenchmen are averse to our equally delicious but quite smelly Belachan (dried shrimp paste, an essential condiment in some of the glorious foods here)!

SD Goh, PJ, MALAYSIA

I thought M. Sarkozy regarded his greatest economic triumph as persuading the EC not to fine France for using state money to bail out Alstom against the rules on state aid.

I seems hard to believe of such a man that "His instincts are those of international capital". What evidence does Mr Blunkett have to back up such a claim?

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

Blunkett, get a proper job.

Tony Blair, Houston, TA

Not in a thousand years could I`ve written such a fine article embracing such good observations about N. Sarkozy as the future of a potentially great country as France.
Because I am lucky to have a dual citizenship French & the U.S.,my husband & kids surprised me with a round trip ticket to France as an early Mother`s Day gift so I could vote in the 2 elections., which I did.
There`s only 1 thing I`m scared of, & that is the reaction of the French Street & those who favor the old debilitating cushy polcy of birth to grave so long as they themseves are safe in their positions. And there are millions of them. Add to it those opposing Sarkozy`s stand on free for all immigration.
I wish him well & trust that he will find a way(s) to stand up for France`s future instead of a continuous stagnation, what the French know as "reculade".

rochelle n., lake forest , il.u.s.a

David you must be joking if you think the new french
president is going to help us on immigration every time
an immigrant is though the tunnel or on the ferry its
one less for the french to worry about come on get real
SHUT THE GATES AND LOCK THE DOORS

george william taylor, hull, uk

What mess, Josh? This government has raised Britain from bottom of the G7 to second only to the US in standard of living and employment. We have ridden out two world recessions without a pause in our growth, the longest run of uninterrupted growth we have had in the last 200 years.

The contribution made by immigrants has assisted that growth and is viewed by most economists as favourable.

Blair's mistake was Iraq, he shouldn't have listened to Bush who in turn shouldn't have listened to Israel.

Israel is the root cause of the trouble in the Middle East. Blair's mistake pales beside that of Balfour, his declaration was the biggest mistake that Britain ever made, it led to decades of suffering for the Palestinian people and was the direct cause of the Moslem terrorism we see today.

Israelis should be the last people to criticise another countries economy, you would be bankrupt tomorrow without American subsidies.

John Palmer, Chippenham, Wiltshire

Good article. Who expected Sarko to be a Thatcher?

David Kay, St Legier, Switzerland

David Blunkett is spouting the usual drivel. Unemployed youths (and many employed ones) are every bit as disaffected in the UK as in France. And unemployment is just as high as in the UK as in France. The difference is that the art of concealing unemployment is much more highly developed over here.

Addis, Lancaster, UK

De Gaulle to Sarkozy does suggest change, but is this nominal? The French can’t feasibly adopt the British service economy and I don’t think either a Dome or supercasinos would do much for French life or prosperity. Sarkozy should surely join with the Germans to assist in the growth and development of Eastern Europe and the Russian states, which is more likely to create jobs and employment than just talking about some mythical new dynamic.

Henry Percy, London, UK

Sorry David. From the way you put it, it sounds as the Labour government actually did something about the immigration crisis. Well it doesn't seem so judging by the mess the UK is in now.

We have huge admiration for you Mr Blunkett, but to compare the get-things-done Sarkozy to spin Blair is wrong.

Josh, Tel Aviv, Israel

As a french I completely agree with you my british friends!
I love this optimistic vision that you have on our new president. And I'm convinced too that he will be able to dialog with you and that we can hope more for the EU.

mymy, Paris, France