French warship fired 17 live warning shots near Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp as he filmed a BBC interview about small boat crossings in the English Channel, according to the Tory MP.
Incident Details
Philp was on a fishing boat a few miles off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer when a French navy vessel approached and opened fire. Video posted on X by Philp shows him and a journalist turning to look as pops of gunfire are heard. Philp later stated: '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 had a reporter on the boat, the shots were fired by a French navy officer standing on the stern of the warship, aiming away from the MP.
Context and Reactions
The incident occurred in an area frequently used by migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. Matt Coker, the fishing boat captain, 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 highlight the rise in small boat crossings over the previous five days. Home Office figures show just over 13,000 people have crossed so far in 2026, the lowest for this point since 2021 and more than 10,000 below the same period in 2025.
Government Response
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood had 'brought forward a very rigorous plan' to tackle the crisis, adding that the statistics 'suggest that the plan is working.' He stated: '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.'
