France mocks ‘Brexit mess’ and threatens turkey shortage

A SENIOR French politician has mocked Britain for making ‘a mess of Brexit’.

Blaming Boris Johnson for supermarket shortages, Europe minister Clement Beaune, added last night: ‘It’s their choice and their failure, not ours. ‘It was a bad choice.’ Mr Beaune, one of President Emmanuel Macron’s closest aides, suggested the UK was trying to divert attention from recent supply and logistical problems.

He also issued a thinly veiled warning the UK could face a Christmas turkey shortage after French fishermen threatened a blockade – deliberately cutting off festive food supplies – unless they get more permits to fish British waters.

He added: ‘It is not by creating problems for our fishermen that you will solve... shortages of Christmas turkey.’

A British government source said: ‘We

‘It’s their failure... it was a bad choice’

have not concocted anything. We are just implementing the Brexit deal.’

Turkeys are likely to have to be imported from France and other nations to save Christmas dinners for millions of families this year as UK producers have bred at least one million fewer turkeys this year due to labour shortages.

The row began after Britain refused licences for 35 French boats that could not show GPS data to prove they had fished in UK waters before Brexit. Eventually, 12 permits were granted.

A Government spokesman said the UK would consider further evidence that supported the remaining applications.

Prime Minister Jean Castex has said France could axe co-operation deals if the UK won’t give in. France has lobbied EU governments to back punitive measures against Britain, such as tariffs or stopping UK boats fishing in EU waters.