Tory Frontbencher Accuses French Warship of Firing Warning Shots Near Him in English Channel
Shadow UK home secretary Chris Philp accused a French warship of firing 17 live rounds near his boat in the English Channel while he was being interviewed by the BBC about illegal migrant crossings. Philp described the incident as 'warning shots or attempted intimidation.' The French warship Flamant passed close to his vessel off Boulogne, and a French navy officer fired a handgun aimed away from the politician. The French government reportedly told British counterparts it was a routine training exercise, but the fishing boat captain said such exercises are usually announced and he had never seen anything like it. The article also notes that 77,183 migrants crossed the Channel during Keir Starmer's premiership, with 13,007 arrivals in 2026 so far, a 45% decrease from the previous year.
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