George Eustice has warned France that "two can play at that game", if Paris presses ahead with threats over the fishing licence row.
The Environment Secretary repeatedly used the phrase during broadcast interviews this morning, after the UK summoned France's ambassador to Downing Street over the escalating situation. Boris Johnson is also expected to meet Emmanuel Macron in Rome, where leaders are gathering for a G20 summit.
"We think the comments made by France are completely disproportionate, unacceptable," Mr Eustice told Sky News. "The things they are suggesting doing - making difficulty at borders and closing ports - is a clear breach not just of the agreement we have with them but also EU law."
France is not expected to bring any punitive measures in "until Tuesday probably at the earliest... if they do bring these into place, well, two can play at that game and we reserve the ability to respond in a proportionate way," Mr Eustice added.
He called on Brussels to act, saying the Commission "has a role to make sure members, including France, abide by rules".
Follow the latest updates below.
08:43 AM
France 'extraordinarily over the top' in fishing row, says scallops group
The French authorities are being "extraordinarily over the top", in having detained a British trawler, the chairman of the Scallops Industry Consultation Group has said.
"France was part of the negotiations for the TCA (Trade and Co-operation Agreement), they knew what the rules were," Jim Portus, told Sky News.
"The rules can't be changed for France when they are applied to all the nations of the EU.
"So I think that France are being extraordinarily over the top in their treatment of British fishing vessels in this case and definitely they need to wind things down."
Mr Portus added that if certain terms of the TCA need to be renegotiated, it is not a job for "hot-heated individuals".
08:40 AM
France has 'politicised' fishing licence row, says Environment Secretary
George Eustice has said the Government is still trying to get to the bottom of exactly why a Scottish fishing vessel was detained by French authorities.
The Environment Secretary told the BBC the scallop trawler Cornelis Gert Jan was originally on a list of approved vessels but appeared to have been taken off, but was nevertheless entitled to fish in the waters.
He said: "We're trying to get to the bottom of what happened. It is true that it was on the list originally and it had a licence. We understand that what happened is it may have made some changes to the engine on the vessel, and that meant that the licence had to be renewed.
"We're trying to get to the bottom, working with Marine Scotland and the MMO and the owners of the vessel, to understand why it dropped off the list," he added. "But this is a minor administrative thing. I think it is entitled to fish in those waters."
Mr Eustice added that France had decided to "politicise" the process of checking vessels this week.
08:16 AM
Insulate Britain activists start walking towards traffic on M25
Insulate Britain activists have switched up their protest tactics by walking towards oncoming traffic on the M25.
The group said the decision to stop sitting in the middle of roads to block vehicles had been made following "feedback" that many drivers were frustrated by their actions.
This morning demonstrators briefly entered the carriageway near Junction 28 and 29 of the motorway, intending to walk down the white lines marking traffic lanes.
But Essex Police responded quickly to the incident and the activists were removed from the road.
The new tactics have been deployed for the group's 17th day of action, the last of which saw protesters have ink thrown in their faces by angry motorists.
08:08 AM
No G20 bilateral planned for Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron
There are no plans for Boris Johnson to hold a bilateral meeting with Emmanuel Macron during the G20 summit in Rome, it is understood.
George Eustice had suggested the pair would hold a meeting during the gathering of world leaders, which formally kicks off tomorrow. The Prime Minister is expected to fly out this afternoon.
However, a Government source has said there are no plans for Mr Johnson to hold a one-to-one with his counterpart "as it stands".
07:52 AM
Brussels backs 'exasperated' France in row over fishing licences
Thierry Breton, the French politician who is also the European Commission's internal market commissioner, said Brussels backs Paris on the fishing licences row.
"I completely understand the position and the exasperation of France. The support of the European Commission is there and it always has been from the start," said Mr Breton.
Earlier this week the politician described Brexit as a "catastrophe" for the UK - to France Info radio.
On Thursday, Britain denounced France's seizure of a British boat in French waters and warned Paris against further retaliation, in a rapidly deteriorating row over post-Brexit fishing rights.
07:43 AM
Election posturing 'a factor' in fishing row, minister says
The rising tensions over fishing licences owes much to Emmanuel Macron's pre-election posturing, George Eustice has suggested.
“There is an election coming up and it may be that is a factor in this," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
The UK has been issuing licences, the Environment Secretary adds, as he calls on everyone to follow the rules "country by country".
07:40 AM
Minister rejects suggestion UK economy could be held hostage by France
George Eustice has rejected suggestions that the British economy is now at the mercy of Paris, should France follow through on threats to slow down the flow of goods by imposing additional border checks.
Challenged about pre-Brexit warnings that the UK could be held hostage whenever the Elysee chose, the Environment Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I don't accept that.
"We have got an agreement with the European Union and obviously the EU has a role in making sure France abides both by the law and the terms of the agreement we have got."
Britain cannot “rollover” and allow the French to ride roughshod over the rules in the fishing row, he added.
"I am quite happy with living with the consequences of leaving the EU."
07:30 AM
'Simply not true' that UK is blocking licences, insists minister
George Eustice has hit back at suggestions that the UK has not honoured its post-Brexit pledges, saying it is "simply not true" that licences have been blocked.
The Environment Secretary stressed that several hundred licences had been granted, suggesting France may have "out of date figures" showing a lower number. Only vessels which had "no way of demonstrating access" over the last few years did not qualify.
Asked if the Chancellor was applying pressure to resolve the problem for fear of an economic consequences, Mr Eustice said: "We have got it sorted in that we are issuing licences in accordance with the Trade and Cooperation Agreement... we have issued all of those licences to vessels that are entitled to it in good faith."
He added: "If France and the EU want to offer data on those vessels that they have been unable to so far, we will consider it."
07:24 AM
France will follow through on fishing threats whether it's 'fair or not'
A member of Emmanuel Macron's party has said France will make good on its threats over the fishing row, whether it is "fair or not".
Bruno Bonnell said the row was "chicken and egg situation", adding: "Now the blame is on France.
"We will break no law for sure," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "But if we face a situation where there is a blockade [on licences], they will be some retaliation.
"I don't know if it is fair or not, I just know the whole thing started because the principle of the deal out of Brexit was broken by the British authorities."
07:13 AM
Boris Johnson could discuss fishing row with Macron at G20
Macron and Johnson are due to meet in Rome for the G20 - EPA
Boris Johnson could raise the fishing row with Emmanual Macron at the G20 in Rome, a minister has confirmed.
George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, acknowledged suggestions that the forthcoming French elections "might be a factor" in the row over fishing licences.
"But we have to deal with what we're faced with here, which is France threatening us with actions that are completely disproportionate, are not acceptable, and would be a breach of the agreement that we have with them," he told Sky News. "That's why we're going to be raising that with their ambassador, raising it with the Commission."
Pre-arranged summits may allow the leaders to address the issue, he added.
"The Prime Minister may have opportunity to meet Macron [in Rome], and they are gathering at Cop26. We want to defuse this issue but the truth is we haven't done anything wrong."
07:05 AM
Minister accuses France of 'inflammatory language' over fishing row
George Eustice accused France of "inflammatory language" as he warned that the UK would board more fishing vessels in retaliation against any measures from Paris.
Asked about the claim by France's Europe minister Clement Beaune that the only language Britain understands is "the language of force", the Environment Secretary told BBC Breakfast: "That is completely inflammatory and is the wrong way to go about things.
"We will see what they do on Tuesday but we reserve the right to respond in a proportionate way.
"It's always open to us to increase the enforcement we do on French vessels, to board more of them if that's what they're doing to our vessels, there are other administrative things we can require of vessels."
He did not rule out the UK blocking French vessels landing their catches in the UK in a tit-for-tat response, saying: "If the French obviously do continue with this then yes we will take a proportionate response to that."
07:02 AM
Fishing row won't overshadow Cop26, minister insists
George Eustice downplayed suggestions that the row could undermine Cop26,, saying he was confident it would be "put to one side" to focus on climate.
"With international relations you sometimes have differences with but the whole world will want to come together to address the issue of climate change," the Environment Secretary added.
He said he was "optimistic about agenda but, as is always the way in the final days, you do get nervous about whether you will get agreements over the line.
"I am optimistic but it is, as the Prime Minister said, touch and go."
06:43 AM
PM summons French ambassador as fishing row escalates
The French ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office for a formal rebuke after France detained a British scallop trawler in a dispute over fishing licences.
Catherine Colonna, France’s top diplomat in London, has been called in today amid a rapidly escalating row with Paris over post-Brexit fishing rights.
Government sources said they believed it was the first time in decades that a French ambassador had been summoned by Britain, one of the nation’s closest allies.
It came as the skipper of the Cornelis Gert Jan - a trawler from Scotland - was questioned by police in Le Havre for five hours on Thursday and accused of fishing in French waters without a licence.
06:42 AM
Good Morning
The row between France and the UK over fishing licences is escalating today, as Downing Street summoned French Ambassador to the UK Catherine Colonna. A meeting is expected this afternoon.
The timing could not be more awkward, with Boris Johnson flying to Rome for a G20 meeting today, and with Cop26 on the horizon.
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