Francois Bayrou admitted the odds were 'at first sight' stacked against him ahead of a September 8 confidence vote, as opposition parties unite against his plan to slash the deficit by £38billion.

If he loses the confidence vote, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's minority government will fall.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou will hold a high-stakes confidence vote in parliament on September 8 over unpopular plans to clean up France’s public finances.