Britain's love/hate relation-ship with the French remains as strong as ever.

Witness two major business stories this week.

First, all is sweetness and light as Britain and France agree on the first step in jointly building three aircraft carriers - Paris will pay up to £100 million in phases towards the design work, with a possible further £45 million to follow.

Then a row breaks out over Cadbury's "betrayal" of British farmers by beginning imports of French sugar.

Britain hopes to deliver the first of two new aircraft carriers to the Royal Navy sometime around 2012, while France wants one new ship by about 2014.

"We have today reached agreement on how we will proceed on co-operation," Defence Secretary John Reid and his French counterpart Michele Alliot-Marie said in a joint statement.

You might have described it as an historic announcement - had anyone noticed.

Joining forces will mean allowing some work to go to French companies, but it will also help the Ministry of Defence tackle the hefty cost of the project, which industry estimates at £4 billion and the Ministry insists will be done for about £2.9 billion. There is French participation in the BAE Systems-led programme already, with Thales selected to work on design of the

British carriers. Midlands engines giant Rolls-Royce is hoping to pick up a chunk of work.

So, we like the French again. Or do we?

Sweet as sugar certainly doesn't apply.

World-famous chocolate maker Cadbury was founded in Birmingham in 1824 of Quaker origins and the Bournville factory is still there.

But Shropshire MP Daniel Kawczynski (Con Shrewsbury & Atcham) has attacked the firm, sponsoring an official Commons motion urging colleagues "to boycott Cadbury's products until the company stops importing French sugar".

Farmers in his constituency were suffering because of the decision, the MP claimed.

Cadbury, he maintained, was trialling it because it was cheaper, and he urged them "to show a little bit of patriotism and buy English".

Now, Cadbury hates criticism.

So I can just picture the proverbial Cadbury spokesman - no doubt through gritted teeth - insisting: "We buy the vast bulk of our sugar from British Sugar, but like any business we need to explore other suppliers in order to maintain costs and remain competitive."

I have loads of respect for Cadbury - you don't play with the Big Boys like Coca Cola, Nestle and Wrigley unless you are seriously good. But there has always been a certain amount of smugness, dare I say arrogance even, about the group.

And very little evidence of Quaker principles left - in their own way they are quite ruthless at cutting costs and chopping jobs.

Have to be. They are in a cutthroat international game.

So it is always nice to see Cadbury taken down a peg or two from time to time.

Keeps their feet on the ground.

But getting into bed with the French - ooh la la! ..SUPL: