French patrol boat heard firing shots during BBC interview in Channel, MP says
After the incident, Philp said: “It is extraordinary that the French navy fired live shells in defense of its waters against a visiting British politician, but could not bear to do anything to stop illegal Channel crossings.”
“If France showed half the seriousness to human smugglers as it did to me, the boats would stop.
“Instead the French pass them on and pass them on to the British coastguard, so that’s our problem.”
He said he would discuss the issue with the French ambassador.
The fishing boat’s captain, Matt Coker, said he had “never seen anything like this before.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “We are in contact with French authorities to understand the full context of this incident.”
Earlier this month, a Russian warship shadowed by a Royal Navy ship conducted a live-fire gunnery exercise just 46 miles (74 km) south of Plymouth.
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