London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

‘We might get thrown out of NATO’: Twitter baffled & divided over UK govt idea to send warships against EU fishermen

‘We might get thrown out of NATO’: Twitter baffled & divided over UK govt idea to send warships against EU fishermen

Debates broke out on Twitter over the news that the Royal Navy was ready to deploy British patrol vessels to confront European fishing boats after a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

London has until December 31 to hammer out a free-trade deal with the EU, and fisheries remain one of the most contentious issues. While the EU wants to secure the decades-old quota system which allows European boats to operate in British waters, the UK wishes to make its waters more exclusive to British fishermen.

On Friday, British media reported that the Royal Navy was ready to deploy four warships to stop European fishing boats from illegally entering the UK waters in the English Channel after a ‘no-deal’ Brexit. The Ministry of Defence later confirmed the news, adding that it had put 14,000 military personnel on standby to support the government during “the EU transition” period over the winter.

Many online were baffled by the prospect of British vessels pointing their guns at ships belonging to their allies. Some even suggested this could end up with London getting “thrown out of NATO.”


“An attack on one NATO member is an attack on all. How is this going to work out?” a person wrote while ‘Rule Britannia’ memes were posted on Twitter, and #GunBoatDiplomacy and #CodWars were trending.

The latter hashtag was a throwback to a series of standoffs between the UK and Iceland over fishing rights between the late 1950s and the 1970s. The conflicts ended on terms more favorable to the Nordic nation. This prompted people to worry Britain would eventually “lose” this time, too.

“Can't wait for French fisherman to blockade Calais,” a person quipped on Twitter.


Some, however, argued that UK will have no choice but to protect its waters if it fails to come to terms with Brussels. People voiced this sentiment while replying to a tweet by Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, who said the “overstretched” Royal Navy should rather focus on deterring Russia and China.

“An ally would give us a FAIR deal. A 'deal' that requires us to be subject to their rules and laws in perpetuity is NOT an ally, as they overrule our sovereignty for their advantage,” a person wrote to Ellwood.

Others opined that “a NATO ally should not allow its fisherman to plunder our waters,” and that “deploying four craft to protect British jobs is absolutely fine in my book.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×