On July 28, 2026, the French navy reportedly fired over a dozen shots near a vessel containing UK Conservative MP Chris Philp while he was being interviewed about migrant crossings in the English Channel. Philp, who is the MP for Croydon South and the UK’s shadow home secretary, shared a video of the incident on social media, stating that a French warship approached and fired 17 live rounds behind their boat without prior notice.
The French Maritime Prefecture of the English Channel and the North Sea later clarified in an email that the incident was a 'handgun firing exercise' conducted by the public service patrol boat PSP Flamant off the coast of Cap de Gris-Nez. They stated that the exercise was unrelated to the presence of the British vessel and that proper regulatory signals were displayed, although British officials on the boat claimed they did not receive any announcements on their radio system.
Philp expressed uncertainty about whether the gunfire was intended as a warning shot. The incident occurs amid ongoing discussions in the UK regarding illegal immigration and the responsibilities of France in managing migrant crossings in the English Channel. In April, the UK and France signed a multimillion-dollar deal to enhance border patrol measures along the French northern coast.