Miliband backs Government in fishing row

Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband has said he backs the Government in the ongoing row over fishing licenses with France, saying: “I don’t like the way the French have behaved on this at all.”

This latest flashpoint in the row was triggered overnight on Wednesday, when France detained a British trawler and verbally warned another off the coast of Le Havre, and the French government subsequently threatened to hike tariffs on energy, customs, and limit port access.

The former Labour leader told Sky News’ Breakfast programme this morning: “This is not what we need at any time, it is certainly not what we need now. This is the biggest global summit ever, and that is where the focus should be.”

“So let’s lower the temporary on both sides- threats aren’t going to get us anywhere.”
Asked if he supports the Government, he replied: “I do. I fear it may be being done in France for domestic political reasons,” he added

He argued that the spat would not “derail” the ongoing COP26 summit , but explained: “We can’t let it distract us one iota from what we are doing here.”

Last week shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard told MPs that France’s threats were “completely wrong and unacceptable”.