THE war of words over Scotland's fisheries is continuing with the SNP demanding that Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson answer six questions on the future of the industry after Brexit.
Davidson visited Peterhead to meet with fishermen’s leaders but, according to the SNP, she “failed yet again to give assurances her party won’t sell out the industry in negotiations".
Banff and Buchan candidate Dr Eilidh Whiteford and Gordon candidate Alex Salmond have now called on Davidson to answer six questions – including how many foreign vessels will be allowed to fish in Scottish waters?
The six questions for Davidson: lDo you agree with David Mundell that “there is no way we would go back to Scotland or Britain controlling British waters” after Brexit?
lIn negotiations on our exit from the EU, how many vessels from other countries will the UK Government allow to fish in Scottish waters after Brexit?
lDo you agree with the UK Government’s white paper on Brexit that it is in the UK’s interests to reach a deal that works for the EU’s fishing communities?
lDo you agree with Theresa May that Spanish fishermen should not be left poorer due to Brexit?
lWill you apologise for the Tories saying that Scotland’s fishing industry “must be regarded as expendable”?
lWhat policy framework will replace the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) after Brexit?
Eilidh Whiteford said: “The SNP is the only party that will always stand up for Scotland’s fishing industry – unlike the Tories, who infamously and shamefully described our fishing fleets as ‘expendable’.
“The Tories have already made it clear that fishing will not be a high priority in the negotiations, with senior figures from Theresa May down pledging a good deal for EU fishing fleets.
“This can only mean one thing. The Tories are preparing to use Scotland’s fishing industry as a Brexit bargaining chip – and any warm words for the industry are sheer hypocrisy.
“I have always been consistent in my view of the CFP whereas the Tories have admitted they are simply going to incorporate the CFP into UK law. The fishing industry is going to be a bargaining chip for the UK Government in negotiations with the Spanish and others.
“Private assurances will no longer work. The Tories must now answer these key questions, or they simply will be seen for the frank hypocrisy of their position.
“A vote for the SNP will send a warning to the Tories that they will not get away with selling out Scotland’s fishing communities for a second time.”
Former first minister Salmond, who is the SNP candidate for Gordon, said: “The proudest part of my political career was my 23 years as a fishing MP, fighting tooth and nail for justice for our coastal communities.
“The reality is that without real political clout from Scotland, the Tory party who sold out Scottish fishing on the way into the European Union will sell us out again on the way out.
“In all my years in the House of Commons I never met a single Tory fishing minister who put Scottish fishing first.
“In fact, they changed so often they didn’t even know where the north-east of Scotland was. For the Tories fishing is expendable. For the SNP it is and always will be our top priority.”
The National asked the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation chief exeutive Bertie Armstrong if he had been given a categorical assurance at his latest meeting with UK Environment and Fisheries Secretary Angela Leadsom that no aspect of the Common Fisheries Policy would be brought in to UK law, and if he been given an absolute categorical assurance that the UK would not allow any other European fishermen in British waters. He had no responded by the time The National went to press.
A Conservative spokesman said: “Never mind six questions, there is only one question that matters for Scottish fishermen, and that is how they secure the best possible Brexit deal.
“Alex Salmond and Eilidh Whiteford should spend some more time talking to skippers and industry leaders, who are desperate to get out of the EU and, above all, the disastrous Common Fisheries Policy.
“SNP attempts at scaremongering in the press have backfired and the fishermen are not falling for the spin.
"They know that the Nationalists would simply drag them back into the EU and the CFP, which the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation has said cannot be reformed from within.”
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