SUPPORTING SCOTTISH FISHING IN EUROPE.
TORIES, LABOUR AND LIBS CAST ADRIFT IGNORING KEY EU COMMITTEE.
The SNP is celebrating 25 years of standing up for Scottish fishing, as the only Scottish political party to have consistently held a post on the European Parliament Fisheries Committee (PECH).
SNP MEP Christian Allard – who worked in the fishing industry for more than 35 years, exporting fresh fish and seafood across Europe – is the latest appointment to the influential committee. Yet, Scotland’s other parties have often ignored fishing on their list of European priorities.
Labour and the Lib Dems have not had an MEP on PECH for over a decade, and the Scottish Tories have had no representation since 2009 – with their sole Scottish MEP only recently gaining a place on the committee.
Commenting, Christian Allard MEP said:
“This tells you all you need to know about who truly cares about Scotland’s fishing sector.
“And it’s yet another reminder that the Tories can’t be trusted to stand up for their interests in Europe.
“Successive Westminster governments, Labour, Tory and Lib Dems in coalition have consistently seen Scottish fishing as ‘expendable’.
“When they’ve had they chance to fight Scotland’s corner in Brussels, they’ve actively decided not to bother.
“Any notion that the Tories care about Scottish seafood – whether catching, processing or exports – has been well and truly sunk.
“Only the SNP will speak up loudly for Scottish fishing in European negotiations, work towards fundamental reform of the CFP and ensure world class exports aren’t hammered by a damaging No Deal Brexit.”
SNP – full committee members
Allan Macartney – 1994 – 1998 (vice chair 1997-98)
Winnie Ewing – 1994 – 1999 (vice chair 1998-99)
Ian Hudghton – 1999 – 2019
Christian Allard – 2019 – present
Scottish Labour – full committee members
Catherine Stihler – 2000 – 09
Scottish Tories – full committee members
Struan Stevenson 2000 – 09
Baroness Mobarik – 2019 – present
Scottish Lib Dems – full committee members
Elspeth Attwooll 1999 – 2009
UKIP – full committee members
David Coburn – 2014 – 19