On Saturday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson granted 18 new fishing licences for EU replacement vessels in its waters. The Jersey Government also issued a further five licences for EU boats. The bloc demanded another seven licences by Monday. However, French President Emmanuel Macron has been left embarrassed after his demand for 104 permits was denied.

       Britain argued many applications for licences had been unacceptable as fishermen failed to prove they had fished four days out of 1,460 between 2012 and 2016.

       Under the terms of the post-Brexit trade agreement signed last December, fishing boats with historic access to Britain's waters must be given permits to allow them to continue to do so.

       On Thursday Downing Street refused to back down in the face of fresh French threats of EU-wide retaliation if more licences were not granted.

       According to the Telegraph, Mr Macron's government was already forced to drop threats to bring cross-Channel trade to a standstill.

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