Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp says the vessel fired 17 shots as he was giving a BBC interview.

A French Navy patrol boat has appeared to fire a round of gunshots in the English Channel during a BBC interview with an MP. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP was being interviewed about small boat crossings by BBC journalist Michael Keohan as a French warship passed by at 09:15 BST (10:15 CET), about three miles from the French coast. Noises which sounded like 17 gunshots fired in succession were heard in the background and an officer on the boat was seen pointing a pistol at the sea. The French coastguard said the ship was taking part in a training exercise and it was unrelated to the presence of a British ship in the area, which it said was out of range of fire. Chris Philp MP, the Shadow Home Secretary, said it felt like an intimidation tactic or warning shots The French ship was approximately 300m away from the boat where the BBC was conducting the interview with Philp. The French coastguard said the boat, PSP Flamant, was not engaged in an operation to monitor migrant boats. Keohan said there were 17 shots, adding: "There was no warning for our boat, no signs given that this was the French's intention."