Britain and France have squabbled for decades over access to the rich fishing grounds around their Channel coasts. Under new rules enforced after Brexit, French fishermen must apply for a permit to enjoy unfettered access to UK waters.<\/p>\n
Britain has so far approved more than 90 percent of fishing licences France has applied for.<\/p>\n
But France has claimed UK officials are still withholding another 73 permits.<\/p>\n
The UK Government issued 23 additional licences, but France has remained furious at the actions of the British.<\/p>\n
Mr Macron's government has threatened to take retaliatory measures against Britain if more licences are not granted.<\/p>\n
They accused the Government of failing to honour the terms of the EU trade deal.<\/p>\n
Now, in his latest column in the Spectator, Professor John Keiger, warned Mr Macron has the most to lose if he continues with his anti-Brexit stance.<\/p>\n
The former professor at the University of Cambridge said: \"The one European power with the most to lose from Britain turning its gaze from the European continent is France.<\/p>\n
\"Irony indeed, given Emmanuel Macrons five-year anti-Brexit vendetta, further encouraging Londons pivot overseas.<\/p>\n
READ MORE:'Knowingly lied' Macron savaged across France as Covid rules come in<\/p>\n
They must prove they accessed the waters at least one day a year between 2013 and 2016.<\/p>\n
On December 9, Downing Street refused to back down in the face of fresh French threats of EU-wide retaliation if more licences were not granted.<\/p>\n
On Christmas Eve, the French Europe minister, Clement Beaune, said will be a high-profile meeting with European Union representatives on January 4 and litigation at a special tribunal put in place by the Brexit accords will start in \"the very first days of January\".<\/p>\n
France had initially warned it would sue Britain within a matter of days over the long-running row over post-Brexit fishing licences.<\/p>\n
Mr Beaune - one of French President Emmanuel Macron's closest aides - had urged the EU to begin legal action after accusing the UK of refusing to grant enough fishing boat access.<\/p>\n
He said: \"We are going to ask the European Commission to initiate a legal procedure for the remaining licences that we feel that we are entitled to.\"<\/p>\n
A European Commission spokesman had said they would \"examine together with the French authorities the legal circumstances around every requested licence which has not been granted\".<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under fire for \"betraying\" the fishing industry to get Brexit done.<\/p>\n
Former MEP June Mummery told Express.co.uk: \"I can't tell you how betrayed I feel by Boris.<\/p>\n
\"He has betrayed the fishing industry and coastal communities.<\/p>\n
\"But the biggest betrayal is our ocean and Mother Nature. He has betrayed them as well.<\/p>\n
\"Our ocean is in crisis. It is betrayal.\"<\/p>\n
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Read more here:<\/p>\n
Macron has the most to lose from his Brexit 'vendetta' - Cambridge prof picks apart stance - Daily Express<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Britain and France have squabbled for decades over access to the rich fishing grounds around their Channel coasts. Continue reading