Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott square off in submarine warfare

Former rivals and ex-Prime Ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott have clashed over the Morrison government’s handling of the French submarines row.

It’s the war of the former PMs as Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott square off over submarines.

Surprising no one, Mr Turnbull has taken the side of French President Emmanuel Macron in the war of words between France and Australia over a now-scuttled deal to build diesel submarines in Adelaide.

The former prime minister, who was the architect of the 2016 arrangement, said that Scott Morrison should apologise for his treatment of France.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Scott Morrison should apologise to France. Picture: Supplied

French President Emmanuel Macron and Malcolm Turnbull in 2018. Picture: AAP Image/David Moir

“Firstly, because he did very elaborately and duplicitously deceive France,” he said.

“We had a relationship of the deepest trust and confidence with France – the French shared with us some of their most secret technology on submarines. It was a partnership between two nations as a cornerstone of France-Indo-Pacific strategy and to be double dealing with them the way Morrison did was shameful.

“I mean (US President) Joe Biden has acknowledged that.

“Morrison’s conduct has done enormous damage.”

However, Mr Abbott, who had hoped to ink a deal for subs with the Japanese during his time in office, was far more complimentary of Mr Morrison’s handling of both AUKUS and the French.

“It was an extraordinary decision, a decision that I wish I had been able to make in my time as prime minister, but all credit to Scott Morrison for being able to do this,” Mr Abbott said of the AUKUS agreement in a discussion with US thinktank the Hudson Institute.

“This AUKUS deal complements all the other things that are happening … I always think that if your friends are stronger, that’s better for you and Australia will be a stronger friend, once this AUKUS deal is brought to fruition.

Mr Turnbull’s predecessor Tony Abbott says we were entitled to break the deal with France. Picture: AAP Image

“The contract we signed with the French had lots of exit ramps, and all we’ve done is take one of the contractual exit ramps that we were perfectly entitled to take.

“And whatever we are required to pay to the French under the contract, we will certainly pay and if that’s hundreds of millions of dollars, we will gladly pay it because that’s what they owed,” he said.

This is not the first time Mr Turnbull has slammed the Morrison government’s submarine policies.

In September, after the announcement of the AUKUS arrangement to acquire nuclear powered subs in a technology-sharing deal with London and Washington, Turnbull lashed out in a speech at the National Press Club.

“This is an appalling episode in Australia’s international affairs and the consequences of it will endure to our disadvantage for a very long time,” Turnbull said, revealing that he had been in private talks with Macron.

In March, it was also reported that Turnbull actively lobbied against former finance minister Matthias Cormann becoming head of the OECD.