Video: 80 French vessels gather in Jersey – RN sends gunboats
The UK government has despatched two naval gunboats to monitor situation on Jersey amid post-Brexit row over fishing rights.
Two Royal Navy gunboats have arrived off the coast of Jersey after 80 French fishing boats gathered at the Port of St.Helier to protest over post-Brexit rules on fishing rights.
HMS Severn and HMS Tamar stood off early this morning to observe the French flotilla before heading into the Channel Island capital.
Downing Street sent the vessels to monitor the situation and said any attempt to blockade the island would be totally “unjustified”.
Craig Murray, a former British ambassador, said he could “not believe how stupid, on every level, it is to send gunboats”, and many in the UK believe the measure is a cynical attempt by Boris Johnson to boost support for the Conservative Party on the day of local elections across Britain.
