Rishi Sunak rejected the verdict from fishing industry leaders that Brexit has “delivered nothing” for the sector.
The prime minister was put on the spot over the state of the fishing industry post-Brexit at Scottish Tory Conference in Glasgow on Friday.
Earlier this year, Mike Park, chief executive of the Fraserburgh-based Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association, said fishermen were the “poster boys” for Brexit in Scotland, with many speaking out in favour of leaving the EU.
Yet three years on, he said most fishermen have now reassessed their attitude because it has “delivered nothing” for the industry.
‘All the quotas have increased’
We put these comments to Mr Sunak and asked him whether he agreed it was a damning indictment of his party.
He said: “I think if you look at what’s happened…All the quotas have increased. I talked about mackerel in particular earlier on which is one of our more valuable stock.
“The Scottish fleet got about 90% share of that cash and I think the incremental value of what we’ve been able to deliver as a result of Brexit is something like £40 or £50 million a year.
“But on top of that we also have the UK Seafood Fund in which Scotland is receiving over £40 million in the next few years.
“That investment is going into actual businesses on the ground which is making a real difference.”
He was backed by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack who said the government “gets a lot of positive messages from the fishing industry”.
The Conservative MP added: “Fishermen are saying to us that quotas are increasing year on year in the five years until we have complete control of that last 25%.”
Before Brexit, the EU would set how much of each species of fish each member country could take from the water in a year.
If one country fell short of its quotas, the deficit could be transferred to another country.
This is something the UK can no longer do because it is no longer part of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy.
Media row
The first day of the two-day conference was overshadowed by a row on press access to Mr Sunak, who had delivered his keynote address to delegates on Friday morning.
Initially, the Tory leader’s media team invited six media outlets, including the Press and Journal, to ask questions.
However, every title present agreed all media should be given access.
As well as answering questions on policy impact, such as Brexit, Mr Sunak rejected suggestions he was restricting scrutiny.
He said: “Yesterday I filmed quite an extensive interview with BBC Scotland, part of which was pooled and made available to other broadcasters.
“And I’ve just done another pooled clip earlier today and I’m speaking to half a dozen of you here which was always the plan.”
But Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross told journalists the incident was “wrong” and “shouldn’t have happened”.
He committed to making the “strongest possible representations” to Number 10 about the matter.
In a short seven-minute speech earlier, the prime minister told party delegates Scotland needs a government focused on people’s “real priorities not constitutional abstractions”.
SNP attack
He attacked the SNP over its record in education, crime and transport.
“It is a record of failure and one that Douglas and all of you have done wonders to call out and hold them accountable for,” he told supporters.
The prime minister also ruled out any more devolved powers for Scotland, arguing Holyrood should be held to account for not using the powers it already has.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said the Tories have “no mandate in Scotland”.
The Aberdeen South MP added: “Rishi Sunak should be apologising for the disastrous mess the Tory government has made of the economy – and for the damage he’s caused to families, who are paying through the nose for Brexit and the Tory cost of living crisis.
“The SNP is the only party offering a real alternative to the Tories.”
Conversation