A letter from French PM Jean Castex to the European Commission has journalists trying to interpret its meaning

A letter sent by French PM Jean Castex to the European Commission has caused controversy in the UK as a row over fishing rights intensifies. The issue comes from the translation of a phrase used by Castex in the letter about the UK’s role outside the EU. Journalists have been looking at the letter and trying to interpret its meaning.

French PM Jean Castex has sent a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, the Commission’s president, to notify her of Paris’ planned reprisals against the UK in the fish war. Castex asks for support because the EU needs to show ‘leaving the Union is more damaging than remaining in it’.

PM says he was “puzzled” to read letter from the French PM suggesting UK should be “punished” for Brexit. As he can read French better than his friend Alex Wickham & he knows that’s not what the letter actually said.

What people are saying?

Cameron Ratcliffe It’s about EU members mitigating their losses (minuscule compared to ours) while underlining the importance and advantages of the union acting collectively. That’s the real world, not the fantasy one inhabited by Brexit ultras.

Philip Gorfett The aggressive stance the French are taking because we wanted our sovereignty back will hurt the French primarily and the EU as a whole in the long run because people will simply stop buying any products from them. Deep down we still have that Dunkirk spirit within the true brits.