[ad_1]
The former Conservative Party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has blasted French President Emmanuel Macron after a British scallop trawler was seized by authorities in France amid a bitter row over post-Brexit fishing arrangements. Sir Iain dismissed the actions of the French President as “window dressing” ahead of the April 2022 French Presidential Elections. He went on to argue that the EU themselves have already told President Macron he “does not have a leg to stand on.”
Sir Iain told Sky News: “You know, we should put this into context.
“It’s quite obvious that France is facing an election and the President isn’t doing too well, and I’m afraid it goes with the territory that you then immediately try and pull the tail of the lion across the water, which is the UK.
“So first of all, a lot of this is window dressing and nonsense from France.
“The second thing is that even the EU and France, President Macron talks about absolute adherence and adoration of the EU, but the EU has told to him he hasn’t got a leg to stand on when it comes to fishing.”
He added: “Because that was the agreement that we had signed up to, and they’re satisfied with it, and the UK is simply implementing it.
“So France is out on a limb on this.
“I think the British government should be very strong about saying, look, we are prepared to protect our trawler fleet and there is absolutely no legal basis for the French to arrest a trawler that is registered within the United Kingdom or the islands.
“And my simple point is, I hope the Foreign Secretary will be very bold and strong and tell the French that they have no rights over this and they must back off.”
MORE TO FOLLOW…
[ad_2]
