Fishing row: PM fears breach of EU-UK trade agreement

Boris Johnson says he fears the EU-UK trade agreement may have been breached in a dispute with France over post-Brexit fishing rights.

It comes after France said it could stop UK boats landing in its ports if the row over licences was not resolved.

The prime minister said the UK government "will do whatever is necessary to ensure UK interests".

Earlier, the French ambassador was summoned to a meeting at the Foreign Office over the row.

Mr Johnson said: "British fishermen should be confident in going about their lawful business and they should be encouraged to continue fishing in accordance with the [EU-UK trade] agreement.

"France is one of our oldest, closest allies and friends. The ties that bind us together are far stronger than the turbulence that currently exists in the relationship," he said.

France was angered by a decision from the UK and Jersey last month to deny fishing licences to dozens of French boats to access British waters, and argued that this breached the Brexit deal.

The country has warned it would block British boats from landing their catches in some French ports next week and tighten checks on UK boats and trucks if the dispute over fishing licences was not resolved by 2 November.