In brief
At 09:15 BST, French naval vessel PSP Flamant fired 17 shots shortly after a BBC interview with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp in the English Channel. The shots were delivered without warning, leading Philp to claim it was an intimidation tactic aimed at discouraging reporting on migrant crossings. French officials denied any political motivation, stating the fire was routine training. The incident has prompted London to consult with French authorities and raise the issue with the French ambassador. It follows other naval exercises in the area, including a Russian live‑fire drill near Plymouth.
At 09:15 BST, the French navy patrol boat PSP Flamant fired 17 shots at a fishing boat that was hosting a BBC interview with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp. The shots were delivered without any warning.
Philp told reporter Michael Keohan that the gunfire appeared to be an intimidation tactic aimed at discouraging the BBC from covering migrant crossings in the Channel. He said the incident “felt like an attempted intimidation to stop us covering migrant crossings”.
French authorities said the fire was part of a routine training exercise and was unrelated to the British boat, which was reportedly out of range. The French navy dismissed the incident as a routine drill.
The incident follows other high‑profile naval exercises in the area, including a recent Russian live‑fire exercise off Plymouth. London has said it will raise the matter with the French ambassador and is consulting with French authorities to clarify the context.
Sources say the patrol officer aimed the pistol at the sea, and an observer on the fishing boat reported never seeing such an event before. The French sea‑guard remains unapologetic and indicates their policy on smugglers differs from that of the UK.
“If France showed people smugglers half the seriousness they showed me, the boats would stop.” - Chris Philp
