Jersey row: fishing leader says French threats ‘close to act of war’

Don Thompson says response from France is like something you would see from Iran or Russia'

France's response to post-Brexit fishing restrictions around the island of Jersey has been described as pretty close to an act of war" by fishing community leaders in St Helier. They say they have been told 100 boats are being lined up in France for a 6am blockade at the main Channel Island port on Thursday, threatening food and energy supplies.

It was inevitable that the French would kick off," said the head of the Jersey Fishermen's Association, Don Thompson. But the reaction we're seeing from France is almost like something you would see from Iran or Russia. They're not just saying they can cut off the electricity supply, French fishermen are saying that they're coming tomorrow [Thursday] to blockade the harbour in time to stop the ferries from coming in so there'll be no food supply and no fuel coming into the island either. So it comes pretty close to an act of war, this."