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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Nisha Mal

French fishermen warn blockade targeting UK's Christmas supplies could start Friday

French fisherman, who have lost the right to fish in British waters, are planning a blockade which may start as soon as Friday, October 15.

They reportedly plan on targetting Christmas supplies being imported into the UK. The fishermen also promise to blockade Calais, Dunkirk and the Channel Tunnel if necessary.

It comes after the UK government refused to grant many licences to French fishermen so they can continue to work in British waters.

Fishermen Laurent Merlin told the BBC: "We're in a constant state of anxiety and anger. We are waiting until Friday, and then we'll start to organise ourselves to attack."

"We'll create as much disruption as we can, by blocking the things Britain needs the most."

"We saw the [impact of the] gas shortage; we'll try to create another shortage of something else. We're ready to block everything: Calais, Dunkirk, the Channel Tunnel.

"We need this fishing licence and we'll do anything to get it," he continued.

The manager of the local fishing committee, Benoit Firmin, says that if the blockade goes ahead it is possible it'll target Christmas supplies and be wider than just the port in Boulogne - a major fishing port on the north coast of France.

Asked about further potential supply problems, stemming from disagreements over fishing licences, Shadow international trade secretary Emily Thornberry told LBC: “We need to take the heat out of this and we need to make sure we are actually talking to each other and not shouting at each other across the Channel.

“All this talk of vetoes and blockades and wars and everything else is completely inappropriate; we need a bit of grown-up politics and a bit of pragmatism.

“Stop the dogma, sort out some realistic answers to these problems.”

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