Fishing row: What happens if UK takes legal action against France over post-Brexit dispute?

Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, said of the process: "In terms of the legal mechanisms we are very much talking about a process here that could drag on for a while."

According to Sam Lowe: "If the UK feels the diplomatic route has been exhausted, proceeding with dispute resolution within the confines of the TCA is the proper way to go about things.

"At least in the TCA there are rules, processes to be followed; much better than spilling out into an unconstrained trade war with both the EU and UK free to do whatever they want."

However, he warned that a simmering dispute could have a wider impact, adding: "These disputes do have political ramifications: they chip away at the goodwill necessary to reach a compromise on other outstanding issues such as Northern Ireland."