Desire for a favourable balance of power: Britain wanted to maintain a favourable balance of power in Europe to prevent any single power from becoming too dominant. Excluding France from the negotiations would allow Britain to have more influence in shaping the peace settlement and to ensure that its own interests were protected.
War weariness: Britain was exhausted by the war and wanted to bring it to an end as quickly as possible. It was concerned that including France in the negotiations would prolong the process and make it more difficult to reach a settlement.
Lack of trust: There was a lack of trust between Britain and France at the end of the war. Both countries had different objectives and priorities, and there were concerns that France would not cooperate in good faith during the negotiations.