• French President Emmanuel Macron this week said that the government, which has a 15pc stake in Renault.

"The closure of a site must only be a last resort," Le Maire told France 2 television.

French President Emmanuel Macron this week said that the government, which has a 15pc stake in Renault, would not sign off on the state loan until management and unions had concluded talks over the company's French workforce and sites.