Brexit: French fisherman explains problems surrounding licences

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Emmanuel Macron is threatening to spark chaos with the UK’s supply chain and cut off its electricity in a row over post-Brexit fishing. He has given Boris Johnson until just Tuesday to fold to his demands and issue more fishing licences for European vessels.

This is the third time since the end of the EU transition period that France has taken a swipe at the UK on the world stage.

A pattern is emerging of Mr Macron lashing out at Mr Johnson either in public or in private when meeting at global gatherings.

At the G7, Boris Johnson was left dumbfounded when in a private meeting Mr Macron claimed Northern Ireland was a different country to the rest of the UK. The remarks led to an incredible outburst from the Prime Minister when speaking to reporters.

He said the EU needed to “get it into their heads” that the UK is “a single country”.

Mr Johnson again made inflammatory remarks when attending the United Nations General Assembly in September after Mr Macron risked derailing proceedings over a spat involving the UK.

The Aukus defence act signed by the UK, US and Australia left the French President enraged as it effectively overwrote a deal already struck between Paris and Canberra.

France’s foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called the move a “stab in the back” and recalled its ambassadors to the US and Australia. Paris’s top diplomat in London was allowed to remain, with France attempting to belittle Britain by claiming there was no need to take action as London had been a junior partner in the Aukus deal.

The row dominated the UN summit in New York.

Speaking in a mash-up French and English, Mr Johnson told Mr Macron to “get a grip” and “give me a break”.

“I just think it’s time for some of our dearest friends around the world to prenez un grip about this and donnez-moi un break,” he said.

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Mr Macron’s latest threats over fishing licences were made just days before international leaders gathered in Rome for the G20 and less than a week before they all meet in Glasgow for the Cop26 summit.

The meeting in Scotland is seen as a vital moment in the fight against climate change and an important test of Mr Johnson’s statesmanship.

Scientists now fear the fishing row will undermine efforts at the summit.

Chris Venables, head of politics at environmental charity the Green Alliance, has warned: “It’s quite frankly ridiculous that this row could destabilise the start of Cop26.

“They should clear this up as soon as possible, and move swiftly on to the rather more important matter of protecting the future of our planet.”

So why is it that Mr Macron seems so eager to repeatedly pick rows that disparage Britain on the world stage?

The answer perhaps lies in a letter sent by French prime minister Jean Castex to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday.

It said the UK should be shown “it causes more damage to leave the EU than to stay in”.

With Angela Merkel bowing out of politics, Mr Macron sees himself as the new leader of Europe. To him, Brexit Britain’s success as a global player remains a threat to the EU.

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