Liz Truss gave Emmanuel Macron a stinging reprimand today, demanding that he “stop” threatening the UK over the bitter fishing lawsuit.
The Foreign Secretary rejected the deadline set tomorrow by the French President for licensing small boats for British waters.
Instead, she insisted that Paris was pressed for time as the government was ready to take action on post-Brexit violations of the trade deal.
Ms Truss also risked sparking the dispute when Mr Macron attended the COP26 summit in Glasgow, suggesting that he is merely attacking the UK in hopes that it will help his re-election chances.
French officials have warned that starting tomorrow they will be banning British fishing boats from some ports and tightening customs controls on trucks entering the country with British goods unless their small boats are given more licenses to fish in British.
Other threats included “slowing down” customs and even higher tariffs on energy bills in Jersey. However, the number of boats receiving permits has increased, with the UK stressing that those with a pre-Brexit history of fishing in waters may still be permitted.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (pictured at COP today) rejected the deadline set by tomorrow’s French President for licenses for additional small boats for British waters
Emmanuel Macron (picture on the left at the G20) has insisted that Boris Johnson (picture on the right at today’s COP summit) has until tomorrow to give in in the dispute over fishing rights
There are fears that the fishing rod could overshadow the COP26 summit in Glasgow. Mr Johnson welcomed the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, this morning
The British trawler Cornelis Gert Jan was last week in the port of Le Havre. seized by French authorities
When asked if France and the UK had come to an agreement, Ms. Truss told Sky News: “The deal didn’t go through, the French have made totally unreasonable threats, including to the Channel Islands and our fishing industry, and they must do these Withdraw threats or we will use the mechanisms of our trade agreement with the EU to take action. “
She said the move would take the form of using the dispute settlement mechanism under the post-Brexit trade agreement to seek “compensatory measures”.
“We will do that if the French don’t give in,” she added.
“Stop threatening British fishing vessels, stop threatening the Channel ports and accept that we are fully within our right to license fishing in accordance with the trade agreement.”
She said she would “absolutely” take legal action in the coming days if France does not give in to threats and said: “This issue needs to be resolved in the next 48 hours.”
She added, “We will not just turn around in the face of these threats.”
Ms. Truss said Mr. Macron could make “unreasonable threats” about the upcoming elections.
“You could say there are elections in France,” she said.
On a day of the extraordinary briefing when Mr Macron and Boris Johnson were attending the G20 summit in Rome, the French Prime Minister insisted that “the ball is with Britain” and that reprisals should be initiated.
On one day of the extraordinary briefing, Paris initially claimed that Mr Johnson and Mr Macron had reached an agreement on de-escalation on the sidelines in 30-minute conversations.
There were no officers or cameras present when the couple tried to communicate one-on-one.
However, this version was rejected by Mr Johnson, who stressed that he saw Mr Macron as a “friend” but that they had a “full and open” discussion. “For fish, I have to tell you the position is unchanged,” he said.
Mr Johnson said he was “confused” by a letter from French Prime Minister Jean Castex to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in which Mr Castex said after some translations that Britain should be shown “it is causing more damage, leaving the EU than staying inside ‘.
Speaking at a G20 press conference, Mr Johnson said, “Regarding fish, I have to tell you that the position is unchanged. And I’m just saying this for the record. I have to say I was confused when I read a letter from the French Prime Minister expressly asking for the UK to be punished for leaving the EU.
“I just have to tell everyone that I do not consider this to be compatible with the spirit or the wording of the Withdrawal Agreement or the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and that is probably all I will say about it.”
But Macron said, “The ball is with Britain …” If the British don’t move, action must be taken by November 2nd. “
Earlier, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said it was up to France to decide whether to withdraw the threats.
“We are certainly ready to react if you break the Brexit agreement,” said the spokesman.
A French adviser told Reuters after the talks: “The aim of both the President and the Prime Minister was to work towards de-escalation.”
French sources told AFP that the two sides had agreed on “operational measures” to take the heat out of the dispute in the coming days.
