IT'S BORIS THE GLADIATOR!

BORIS Johnson hit back at French attempts to intimidate the UK over the fishing row as he battled to secure support among world leaders to prevent catastrophic climate change.

- Macer Hall IN ROME and David Williamson

• Battling PM warns EU not to back France in fishing row

• Says leaders must focus on climate ‘moment of truth’ at COP26

• And he all but rules out any new lockdowns over Christmas

With France and Britain locked in a gladiatorial contest over fleet rights in the Channel, the Prime Minister argued the future of humanity is threatened by rising temperatures across the globe.

As if to illustrate the life or death stakes of the climate crisis, Mr Johnson made his impassioned plea for world action standing amid the ruins of the Colosseum in Rome, where the G20 summit was held yesterday.

Mr Johnson also took time to exchange a fistbump with French President Emmanuel Macron in the face of the fishing row at the leaders’ photocall.

The PM said he considers the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow this week as “the world’s moment of truth”. More than 120 of the globe’s most powerful men and women will converge in the Scottish city tomorrow and on Tuesday for a world leaders summit.

Mr Johnson said: “The question everyone is asking is whether we seize this moment or let it slip away. Together we can mark the beginning of the end of climate change – and end the uncertainty once and for all.”

Mr Johnson and Mr Macron – who is up for election in April – will meet today in Rome before heading to Glasgow.

French fury over the allocation of fishing licences in British territorial waters off Jersey has cast a shadow over the G20, with Mr Johnson responding to the latest provocation by pledging to do “whatever is necessary to protect British interests”.