The French government was forced into an embarrassing climbdown after it pulled its threatened blockade hours before it was due to go ahead. But it has not ruled out issuing new threats if the UK refuses to give more permits to French boats.

       Brexit Minister Lord Frost will meet France’s Europe minister Clement Beaune, in Paris, to try to find “consensual solutions”.

       Downing Street insists the UK is sticking to the rules that require vessels to prove they fished in UK waters each year between 2012 and 2016. The PM’s spokesman said: “At no point in recent days and weeks have we changed our approach on licensing, which is simply to enforce the rules as set out.”

       France had threatened to block British boats from docking in its ports, as well as imposing over-the- top border checks on UK exports.

       “We are confident in our position, we have been throughout,” the PM’s spokesman added.