Labour MPs in coastal constituencies could face a "Red Sea Wall" wipeout following Sir Keir Starmer's agreement to extend EU fishing access to UK waters for an additional 12 years.
The deal, announced at Monday's "EU Reset summit", has sparked outrage among fishing communities nationwide.
The agreement, which states "We note the political agreements leading to full reciprocal access to waters to fish until 30 June 2038", could have serious repercussions for Labour's newly won coastal seats.
Research by the UK Fisheries Campaign and Facts4EU, shared with GB News, identified 165 constituencies with some sea frontage across the UK. Of these coastal constituencies, 87 are currently represented by Labour MPs.
Labour MPs in coastal constituencies could face a "Red Sea Wall" wipeout following Sir Keir Starmer's agreement to extend EU fishing access to UK waters for an additional 12 years
Getty/ UK Fisheries Campaign
GB News can reveal that 55 Labour MPs in these areas are particularly vulnerable, with dozens holding slim majorities.
Many of these Labour MPs are sitting on precarious majorities, potentially making them vulnerable to electoral backlash over the fishing agreement.
The UK Fisheries Campaign found that 35 Labour MPs in coastal constituencies have majorities of less than 5,000 votes.
Even more concerning for the party, 55 of these MPs won their seats with majorities under 7,500 votes.
The extensive statistics includes constituencies connected to the fishing industry, examining areas with fishing ports, processing facilities, auction houses, and refrigerated depots, as well as all constituencies with sea frontage.
Side-by-side comparison of the picture today and what it might look like after the next election
UK Fisheries Campaign
Each location was independently verified using maps and satellite imagery due to the absence of official records.
What is particularly striking about these Labour coastal constituencies is that the vast majority were recent gains.
According to the UK Fisheries Campaign, 86 per cent of the 87 Labour MPs with sea frontage in their constituencies won these seats in the 2024 election.
Only 28 of these 87 Labour MPs were re-elected after previously holding their seats before the 2024 election. This means that 59 Labour MPs are representing coastal constituencies for the first time, having taken these seats from other parties in the most recent general election.
UK Fisheries Campaign table of the most vulnerable MPs
UK Fisheries Campaign
These slim margins could prove decisive if voters in fishing communities and coastal areas react negatively to the extension of EU fishing access, though the campaign notes it's "impossible to say for sure" what electoral impact the decision will ultimately have.
The distribution of coastal constituencies across parties shows Labour with 87 seats, followed by Conservatives with 33, Liberal Democrats with 21, and smaller numbers held by other parties.
Fishermen have expressed dismay at the 12-year extension - with one fisherman saying: "12 more years of this? It's obvious. He wants to kill off the industry."
According to the UK Fisheries Campaign, members of the public living far from the sea are also expressing concern, viewing Britain's fishing fleet as "part of the culture and heritage of the United Kingdom."
The potential electoral impact of Starmer's fishing agreement could reshape Britain's coastal political landscape at the next election. With so many Labour MPs holding marginal seats in these areas, the decision may prove costly.
This latest research suggests these constituencies could become "Labour MP-free zones" if voters react strongly against the extension.
