Boris Johnson’s government has summoned the French ambassador over the seizure of a British boat and accused France of breaching international law, as the bitter post-Brexit dispute between the countries over fishing rights escalates.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the ambassador Catherine Colonna would be expected to attend the Foreign Office on Friday “to explain the disappointing and disproportionate threats made against the UK and Channel Islands”.
A UK Government spokesman said: “The proposed French actions are unjustified and do not appear to be compatible on the EU’s part with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) or wider international law”.
Earlier today Clement Beaune, France’s Europe minister said that the UK “understands only the language of force” and said they will be taking “retaliatory measures”.
French maritime minister Annick Girardin added Britain’s “failure to comply” with the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) was “unacceptable”. She said: “It’s not war, it’s a fight.”
It comes as Cornelis, a British scallop trawler, owned by Scottish firm Macduff Shellfish, continues to be detained by French officials for allegedly operating in France’s waters without a licence.
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