France has warned that it is ready to cut the UK’s energy supply if it does not grant more fishing licenses to small votes. The remarks made on Tuesday by the Minister for Europe Clément Beaune constituted a significant escalation in the post-Brexit dispute.

Lord Frost said the rhetoric coming from Paris “does not really reflect the efforts we have made”.

“Despite all the frustrations of the past 18 months, I cannot think that we as a country have resorted to these kinds of threats,” he said.

“We did not make these kinds of direct threats to our neighbors.

“The ban on the export of vaccines earlier this year is another example of where the EU is resorting to these kinds of threats quite quickly – and that’s not how we should be behaving.

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“We don’t do it, and I don’t see why our neighbors feel obligated to do it.”

Unimpressed by the way Paris behaves in the dispute, the EU appeared to side with Lord Frost.

An EU diplomat told Express.co.uk it was time to calm the rhetoric.

They said it was important that all friction be resolved through the proper procedures set out in the trade agreement.

The source said: “We need to cool the temperature of the water.

“We need to sit down and have a friendly chat.

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The Partnership Council is the formal way to resolve trade agreement implementation issues.

European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič leads the EU team on the council, while the UK is represented by Lord Frost.

Yesterday, the Brexit Minister said: “We have granted 98% of the license applications of EU vessels to fish in our waters under the different criteria of the trade and cooperation agreement.

“So we do not agree to disregard this agreement.

“We have been extremely generous and the French, focusing on a small category of boats and claiming that we have behaved unreasonably, I think that does not really reflect the efforts that we have put in.”

He added: “We have agreed to this deal and we are implementing it in good faith, so I think it is unreasonable to suggest that it is not.

“If there is a reaction from France, they will have to persuade other EU members to follow it, and that must be proportionate.”

The EU has not publicly commented on the fisheries dispute.