The Conservative Party has warned the government not to sacrifice the UK’s fishing industry in its new deal with the European Union. Shadow Scottish Secretary Andrew Bowie said the opposition would scrutinise the agreement closely, amid concerns it could hand too many concessions to Brussels. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00We're supportive of better trading relationship with the European Union, but not at any price.
00:04And it does seem like the agreement that's been done has come at too high a cost for, in particular, the British fishing industry.
00:11Any agreement which would allow untrammeled rights of EU fishing boats into British waters for an extended period of time
00:18would be too much for us to accept.
00:20And that's why we do not believe this deal is going to be conducive to the British interest.
00:24The deal that was negotiated back in 2019 was due to come to an end at 2026 for the specific reason
00:30that we wouldn't countenance extending it any further.
00:33And any renegotiation would mean exclusive access for British boats in British waters,
00:38specifically the 0-12 mile radius, and a reversion to the annual negotiations,
00:43which every other coastal state that does these agreements, as the EU has.
00:46If it's good enough for Norway, it's good enough for the UK.
00:49And that's what we should have demanded going into these negotiations today.