Michelle Dewberry has launched a scathing attack on Keir Starmer, accusing the Prime Minister of "giving away" Britain's only bargaining chip in negotiations with the European Union.
Her comments come in response to a new UK-EU deal that grants European fishing vessels access to British waters for an additional 12 years.
The agreement, struck ahead of Monday's summit with Brussels chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, has sparked outrage among fishing communities across the UK, with industry representatives describing it as a "horror show" and a "shameful betrayal" of British fishermen.
Under the new agreement, European vessels will enjoy the same post-Brexit access they have had until 2038, extending the current arrangement by 12 years after it was due to expire.
Michelle Dewberry said that it "blows her mind"
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Michelle Dewberry told GB News: "We're just giving away our power and our leverage.
"Honestly, it blows my mind why people do not seem to either grasp, or care, that this is surely one of the strongest bargaining chips that we have.
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"I don’t use the word ‘bargaining chip’ in a derogatory way, because I know a lot of fishermen will get in touch and say, but Michelle, hold on a second.
"Our livelihoods, everything that we do, our passion, our way of making money, our industry, is not a bargaining chip. I hear that perspective.
"But, I mean, it was literally the one thing of strength that we actually had in those negotiations.
"It seems we just bent over and said, ‘Take it from us,’ and, by the way, we’ll essentially give you a load of money to do so. We'll adhere to all of your rules and regulations, and so on. The mind boggles."
The late-night deal was negotiated as part of Sir Keir Starmer's "reset" of relationships with Brussels.
According to reports, there will be no change to current access to fish for coastal communities and no reduction in the British quota or increase in the quota the EU is allowed to catch.
However, the Scottish Fishermen's Federation has insisted that the deal is "far worse than Boris Johnson's botched Brexit agreement."
Elspeth Macdonald, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said: "This deal is a horror show for Scottish fishermen.
The UK-EU deal grants European fishing vessels access to British waters for an additional 12 years
PA"It is clear that Sir Keir Starmer made the whole deal on the backs of our fishermen and coastal communities, granting EU vessels 12 years of continuous access to UK waters at the last minute in order secure other objectives."
She added that "giving away a national asset such as our rich and healthy fishing grounds for no discernible benefit" was a "disgrace".
Scottish Conservative fishing spokesperson Tim Eagle described the agreement as "an absolute disaster" and "a shameful betrayal of our fishermen" that "will go down like a lead balloon in our coastal communities across Scotland."
