Boris: We’ll do WHATEVER it takes to protect our fishermen
As Macron warns ‘UK’s credibility is on the line’ in trawler war...
THE UK and France were locked in a war of words over fishing rights last night as Boris Johnson vowed to defend British trawlermen and France threatened further action.
The Prime Minister said he would do ‘whatever is necessary’ to protect British fishermen as the UK warned that France faced a tit-for-tat crackdown in the Channel.
However, Emmanuel Macron said Britain’s international reputation was on trial. The French President claimed that for Mr Johnson and the Government the fishing dispute and a row over postBrexit trade with Northern Ireland represented ‘a test of their credibility’.
Although Mr Macron said he was sure of Britain’s ‘goodwill’, he warned that others nations were watching closely.
He added: ‘Make no mistake, it is not just for the Europeans but all their partEustice
‘Two can play at that game’
FRENCH ENVOY AT FOREIGN OFFICE FOR DRESSING DOWN
ners. Because when you spend years negotiating a treaty... then a few months later do the opposite of what was decided on the aspects that suit you the least, it is not a big sign of your credibility.’
As the dispute over fishing rights deepened, the Prime Minister warned of ‘appropriate action’ if Paris carried out threats to hamper British boats.
Brexit minister Lord Frost warned that ‘rigorous’ retaliatory checks on all EU vessels, in which boats would be boarded to have papers inspected, could follow, along with legal action.
As the seized UK trawler Cornelis Gert Jan remained in Le Havre last night, Environment Secretary George Eustice told France: ‘Two can play at that game.’
After being given a bottle of Scotch and some Union Jack mugs by British journalists, one crew member, holding a copy of yesterday’s Daily Mail, said: ‘We need all the help we can get.’
Referring to the international row, he added: ‘We’re right in the middle of it. We are front page news.’ Mr hit out at a ‘completely inflammatory’ claim from French minister Clement Beaune that the only language Britain understands is ‘the language of force’.
Catherine Colonna, French ambassador to the UK, was hauled into the Foreign Office for a dressing down by Europe minister Wendy Morton.
Paris has accused Britain of breaching its trade deal with the EU after the UK and Jersey turned down applications from dozens of French boats to fish in British waters. If the issue is not resolved by Tuesday, France has threatened to block British boats from some ports, cut electricity exports to Jersey and tighten checks on vessels in the Channel. Britain says this would put France in breach of the post-Brexit Trade and Co-operation Agreement. Mr Johnson is set for talks with Mr Macron at the G20 meeting in Rome this weekend to stop the row becoming a trade war.
The Prime Minister said: ‘We are puzzled about what is going on.
We fear there may be a breach of the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement implicit in some of the things that are happening and obviously we will stand by to take the appropriate action.
‘We will do whatever is necessary to ensure UK interests. British fishermen should be confident in going about their lawful business and they should... continue fishing in accordance with the agreement. Any infraction is something we would need to respond to.’
French prime minister Jean Castex wants the EU to back retaliation against Britain – and admitted to punishing the UK for leaving the bloc. In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he said it was ‘essential to make it clear... there is more harm in leaving the Union than in remaining in it’.
A Government source said France could ‘beg the EU all they like’ but insisted Britain was abiding by the TCA, adding: ‘It’s always open to us to increase the enforcement we do on French vessels.’