THERE are many possible reactions to the tragedy that is unfolding in Scotland’s fishing communities, and particularly the inshore ones like those I represent on the west coast, but jeering, contempt, indifference and outright denial are the least appropriate of them. Yet those have been the reactions of the Tories.
The jeering came from Boris Johnson in response to Iain Blackford at Prime Minister’s Questions. Faced with the reality of an individual losing £40,000 worth of fresh, high quality, seafood all he could come up with was political bluster and buffoonery which alienated all who heard it.
The contempt came from the UK fisheries minister Victoria Prentis who saw nothing wrong in asserting that she was too busy arranging a nativity play to read the EU/UK fishing agreement.
READ MORE: David Duguid under fire for throwing Scottish fishing 'under a Brexit bus' to BBC
Meanwhile that posturing 19th century ninny , Jacob Rees Mogg, maintained that despite the devastating human effects of the disaster “British fish” were now happier because of Brexit.
Indifference and denial came from Scotland Office Minister David Duguid (MP for much of the NE fishing industry) who callously replied “how long is a piece of string?” when pressed for a timescale for action, whilst the Secretary of State against Scotland has offered not a word of support or comfort.
Fishing has been utterly betrayed by the very people who were loudest in their support just a few weeks ago. The promised red line separating access to waters and the wider trade deal was rubbed out by Brexit negotiator David Frost and Johnson, the figure of a 25% uplift in catches is a myth and to add later injury to current insult the review of the arrangements after five and a half years is structured to make improvement virtually impossible.
It is no exaggeration to say that parts of the so called “hated” Common Fisheries Policy are to be preferred to what the UK agreed. It is also clear that the priorities of the Scottish industry would be better represented by having a full seat at the EU top table occupied by Scotland than by a UK Government with no seat at all and run by a party which has reneged on its promises to the sector twice in a generation, to coin a phrase.
In addition – and this is at the heart of the current crisis – the overall deterioration in the terms of trade for all goods is making selling what is caught much more difficult. Live shellfish must be delivered to customers within a very tight time scale or is completely ruined.
Presently the confusion around exactly what is required to allow passage across borders (the deal came so late that much information is still lacking), the need to accurately fill in many more forms, and the reluctance of hauliers to risk being stuck in kilometres of queuing in Kent have all contributed to the problem of getting perishable – or any – goods to and from the EU. So has the added demand of mandatory Covid-19 testing for international lorry drivers, another reason why an extension to transition during the pandemic was essential.
READ MORE: Brexit: David Duguid accused of showing 'total contempt' to fishing industry
Some of these issues will in time be sorted as people get used to the increase in bureaucracy that is inevitable for a country outside the protective shield of mutually agreed standards and enforceable internal legislation.
But there is also an indisputable new reality about these matters which cannot be spun away. We are no longer part of the trading block in which we have flourished for half a century. We have voluntarily forgone the ease of access to 27 other nations which we enjoyed as of right and we will therefore be treated in the same way as any other non member.
Johnson lied about frictionless trade. Gove, surprisingly, told some of the truth when he said last week that he expected “significant disruption”. He ommitted to say, however, that when that subsides we will not return to what we had before.
There will be no more free and frictionless exchange of goods, including seafood, because there is now a new , permanent barrier, erected by the Tories, around this island and crossing it will inevitably be harder, slower and more more expensive.
That is a costly burden of their creation, and no amount of deflection by jeering, contempt, indifference and outright denial can change that fact, nor remove its damaging effects.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel