Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has accused a French warship of firing live warning shots near him as he filmed a BBC interview about small boats in the English Channel.
In a video posted on X, Philp is seen speaking to a journalist on a fishing boat with a warship close behind. When pops of gunfire are heard, both men turn to look, appearing unsure of what is happening.
Philp describes 'warning shots'
Philp later wrote: 'On the channel today monitoring illegal migrant crossings… as I was being interviewed by the BBC just now a French warship approached close and fired 17 live rounds behind us. There was no notice or training exercise in place. Felt like warning shots or attempted intimidation.'
According to The Times, which also joined the MP on the boat, the shots were fired by a French navy officer standing on the stern of the warship, aiming away from Philp.
The incident took place a few miles off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer, an area frequently used by small boat crossings in recent years.
Fishing boat captain's account
Matt Coker, the captain of the fishing boat, told The Times: 'It sounds like it might have been an effort to intimidate us. It could well have been, it might have just been a little bit of a warning shot. Maybe just to show a force or something.'
Philp was in the Channel to draw attention to small boat crossings, after a jump in numbers over the previous five days.
Migration statistics
The latest Home Office figures indicate just over 13,000 people have crossed from mainland Europe in small boats so far this year. That is the lowest total for this point in the year since 2021, and more than 10,000 below the total for this stage last year.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood had 'brought forward a very rigorous plan' to tackle the crisis, and the statistics 'suggest that the plan is working'.
He added: 'The public wants to see control being exerted, and while we’ve made progress, there is more to do, and I recognise that completely. But the trend is down, and the number of people being removed is up, so the figures are pointing in a better direction. But there is much more to do.'
