MP accuses France of 'weaponising' fishing rights

FRANCE has “weaponised” fishing rights in response to UK efforts to boost Europe's collective defence, according to a former Conservative Party leader.

- RICHARD WHEELER & RHIANNON JAMES

Sir Iain Duncan Smith acknowledged that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is “showing some leadership” over Ukraine and in trying to “galvanise” others, but the former cabinet minister took aim at the French amid reports that a row over fish quotas emerged during talks over a UK-European Union security deal.

Sir Iain, pictured right, the MP for Chingford and Woodford Green, told the House of Commons: “When [Sir Keir] got involved in how Europe should form a coalition of the willing and how he wanted to drive that further forward and to get some kind of agreement on it, what did France say immediately?