Sir Keir Starmer has sparked fears of yet another Brexit betrayal as MSPs quiver at the possibility that the PM could buckle to EU pressure over British waters, Facts4EU and GB News can reveal.
While the deadline for UK-EU fisheries edges ever closer, the Scottish Parliament has erupted in a fiery debate as politicians demand that Labour will not capitulate to the economic bloc at an upcoming summit in May.
Earlier today, Holyrood politicians urged the SNP to axe support for the EU Common Fishes Policy in a bid to block Starmer from flirting with the possibility of selling out British anglers in a desperate attempt to win favour with his European colleagues.
Conservatives’ Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Fishing Tim Eagle MSP, who introduced the debate, said: "Scotland's fishing communities must not be sold out again.
Starmer has sparked fears of numerous Brexit betrayals ever since he vowed to bring the UK closer to Brussels
PA
"We're calling on the UK Government to stand firm in upcoming negotiations and ensure our fleets get a fair return for any access granted," he added.
Pointing to the fisheries section of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, Eagle explained that the current situation required a "great deal of improvement", admitting that swathes of Scottish fisherman were "deeply unhappy" with numerous aspects of the policy.
Negotiations for a new deal are due to start imminently since the deadline for the previous policy to expire is in June 2026.
However, Eagle alerted his colleagues that Starmer could lean towards appeasing his European peers and use Scottish waters as a "bargaining chip to be tossed overboard" to win favour with the bloc to boost negotiations in other policy areas, including defence.
LATEST FROM STARMER'S BREXIT-BACKSLIDING:
"As the UK Fisheries Campaign has also made clear, it seems Brussels require some form of commitment from the Labour Prime Minister at a summit in three weeks’ time for maintaining or improving the status quo for them - the EU - or they will not do a deal with him on other matters such as a defence pact.
"My motion sets out to recognise the importance of fishing to the Scottish economy and to highlight the need to significantly improve the situation for our fishermen. It also invites the Scottish Government to drop its support for the Common Fisheries Policy [CFP] and at the same time to defend Scottish fishing from being used as a bargaining chip to be tossed overboard by Sir Keir Starmer in order for him to achieve his other objectives with the EU.
"Either the Scottish Government stands with our fishermen or they don’t. They should finally denounce the CFP and at the same time call on the Prime Minister not to give an inch on fishing at the PM’s May summit.
"If they do neither of these things during the debate, then I think we know what most people’s verdict will be."
Scottish anglers are concerned that Keir Starmer will use UK waters as a dispensable negotiating tool
PA
Currently, the deal between Britain and Brussels allows EU fishermen to access UK waters from the 200-mile Economic Exclusion Zone to just 12 miles away from the island's coast.
The heated debate has come to a boil after British fishermen accused EU anglers of "systematic destruction of UK marine habitats" while Starmer's EU "reset" negotiations persist.
Shocking evidence supplied by UK fishermen revealed mountains of discarded fishing gear (gillnets and longlines which are not used by the UK) with trapped dead fish, seals and seabirds in them, as well as tonnes of plastic packaging written in French, Spanish or other EU languages.
More distressing images were revealed in another exclusive investigation, which outlined how EU fishermen are indiscriminately killing UK mammals, seabirds, and marine life using abhorrent methods, wreaking devastation on ecosystems.
