Conservative MP and shadow home affairs spokesperson Chris Philp has alleged that the French navy attempted to intimidate him by firing a series of shots near a fishing boat he was occupying in the English Channel. The incident occurred on Tuesday, approximately two miles off the coast of Boulogne, while Philp was participating in an interview with the BBC regarding the ongoing small boats crisis.
As the French patrol vessel Flamant passed the fishing boat at a distance of roughly 300 metres, a navy officer positioned at the stern fired 17 shots from a handgun. Philp, who was being questioned by BBC journalist Michael Keohan at the time, turned to the reporter and questioned if the shots were directed at them. Philp later shared video footage of the event on social media, suggesting the act was a deliberate attempt to censor his discussion on asylum seekers. He described the incident as feeling like "warning shots or attempted intimidation," adding that he believed the lack of prior notice made the French authorities' denial "not credible."
French authorities have rejected these claims, stating that the gunfire was part of a routine training exercise for "operation-readiness" and was entirely unrelated to the presence of the British politician or the BBC crew. A statement from French defence staff noted that the vessel was not monitoring migrant boats at the time and that all safety protocols and international signals for such exercises were properly displayed. The French military emphasized that the vessel was engaged in normal individual combatant training.
Expert analysis has largely supported the French account. Kevin Rowlands, a retired Royal Navy captain and editor at the RUSI thinktank, stated that naval vessels frequently conduct small arms training and that the handgun appeared to be aimed in a safe direction. He concluded that it was unlikely the French were actively attempting to intimidate a British politician. A former senior Border Force officer echoed this sentiment, suggesting that such exercises are common and often involve the use of blanks.
Despite these explanations, those on the fishing vessel maintained that the experience was unsettling. Journalist Michael Keohan described the event as a highly unusual moment in the quiet of the Channel, noting that they received no warning of the navy's intentions. The fishing boat's captain, Matt Coker, also expressed confusion, noting that the vessel only appeared to fire its weapons while directly alongside them, rather than in the open sea. A spokesperson for the Home Office stated that the incident is a matter for the French authorities to address.
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