The UK is threatening marine life and fishermen’s livelihoods by releasing untreated sewage into the English Channel, three French MEPs argue.

They claim that, since Brexit, Britain has exempted itself from environmental requirements.

Pierre Karleskind, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin and Nathalie Loiseau – all members of President Emmanuel Macron’s political party – have called for urgent action to be taken against the UK government.

They set out their stance in a letter to the EU commissioner for the environment, Virginijus Sinkevicius.

Water companies in Britain have been accused of failing to monitor how much sewage is being pumped into the sea.

Mr Karleskind, who is also president of the EU fisheries commission, and his colleagues said their letter was prompted by seeing sewage discharges into the English Channel and the North Sea make headlines in the UK.

They accused the UK of diluting its water quality criteria and calling into question efforts made by EU members over the last 20 years.

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Sewage monitors at UK seaside resorts either faulty or not installed, data reveals

They asked the Commission to use all the political and legal means at its disposal to put an end to the situation.

According to the Environment Agency data, sewage monitors installed by UK water firms did not work “90% of the time” or had not been installed at all.

The agency has issued warnings to holidaymakers to avoid dozens of beaches across England and Wales this week.

Untreated sewage water was spotted pouring into the sea near Bexhill, East Sussex on Wednesday.

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