Nigel Farage was a member of the European Parliament Fisheries Committee. He turned up to just one out of 42 meetings
UKIP’s new election poster is a corker. Unveiled in Grimsby yesterday, the poster highlights the plight of fishing businesses that have been “ripped apart due to the EU” and depicts a fishermen who is ‘gutted’. But on the issue of fishing, it’s Farage who is gutless.
It is true that local fishermen around our coast are struggling to survive and are furious after neglect by successive governments. But blaming the EU is a redundant argument because the laws that govern fishing in Europe have been reformed. Farage needs to get the guts to admit that the new Common Fisheries Policy is the best deal for the UK’s local, sustainable fleet in years, and that many fishermen rely on the EU market to make a living.
UKIP didn’t lift a finger to support this huge win for local fishermen. A close inspection of UKIP’s dismal voting record in the European Parliament on fish and Nigel Farage’s appalling attendance on the Fisheries Committee makes a mockery of UKIP’s claim to be standing up for fishermen.
Over three crucial years, during which key decisions were made on the reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), Nigel Farage was a member of the European Parliament Fisheries Committee. He turned up to just one out of 42 meetings.
Greenpeace research released yesterday showed that during the three major votes to fix the flaws of the CFP between 2012-2014, Nigel Farage didn’t bother to vote . This is despite the fact he was in the building.
A particularly crucial reform made to these new EU fishing laws in 2013 introduces an obligation on all Member States to give more fishing quota to sustainable fishermen who create jobs and contribute the most to local, coastal economies, i.e. the fishermen the UKIP’s poster is aimed at. But Nigel Farage again did not show up to vote for this important measure.
Greenpeace and fishermen from the New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association have embarked on a two month, pre-election boat tour that encompasses over 50 English and Welsh marginal coastal constituencies.
MPs and parliamentary candidates at these events are pledging to become coastal champions and put local fishermen first if they win the next election. The turnout has been remarkable with over 100 candidates making the pledge. Farage didn’t come to an event organised by fishermen and Greenpeace in his target constituency of Thanet South recently. All of the parliamentary candidates except for Nigel Farage attended and pledged that if they won the next election, they would work their hardest to get more fishing quota and a better deal for the many angry fishermen who were at the event.
But in several constituencies where UKIP has gained popularity, Labour candidates have also failed to attend or make the pledge – an omission which has been noted by fishermen around the coast. Combined with Labour’s lack of clear policy position on implementation of the CFP, fishermen are viewing Labour candidates with uncertainty.
Despite all this, it’s unsurprising fishermen are listening to UKIP because so far none of the major parties has shown a genuine interest in addressing the thorny issue of redistributing fishing quota to those that most need it. Up and down the coast in Labour and Tory heartlands alike during this tour, we’ve heard fishermen express how they feel politicians of all colours have failed them.
However, fishermen are not fooled by UKIP’s claim that they are standing up for them. They are looking for a clear sign from the parties who have ignored them for decades, that they are now willing to stand up for them and take their demands seriously.
Ariana Densham is an oceans campaigner for Greenpeace
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17 Responses to “Farage’s stance on fishing is gutless”
towhommaybe
There was no point in trying to change things in the EU Parliament as Brussels have the fishing rights all sewn up and are adamantly against changing them. They have the power to enforce their will on UK in any case, and they use it. Knowing this all to well and that ONLY an EU exit would reverse the huge and unfair decline in UK fishing fleet, Farage wisely concentrated his time and energy rather upon the campaign to build up his party in UK, develop UKIP’s election policy, campaign and publicise for the coming election and for winning his own seat. Farage is the only really decent citizen standing as party leader and the most perceptive and correct policy-maker with first things first. Out of EU!
Leon Wolfeson
You’re making excuses. Over and over.
The fact is that Farage did not vote, he didn’t *care* enough to do that. He’s posturing, and only posturing.
He’s taking taxpayer cash from the EU and not doing his *job*. As you praise a banker who dosn’t do his job, as you whine that trade is bad for the UK, lie about the borders, lie about the constitutional setup of the country, don’t notice Farage’s massively anti-small-business policies…
Sinn Fein beat the UKIP for morals. Takes doing.
Luke Barnett
UKIP don’t vote on ANYTHING and they made this completely clear when the MAJORITY of the UK electorate voted them into the EU parliament. Complying with the EU’s bureaucratic process is a sign of accepting it and the MAJORITY of the UK do not accept the EU or it’s laws!
JoeDM
He is not elected to make the EU work !!!
Tommo
I see that new official data shows that for the last 6 months the UK has
exported more to the rest of the world than to the EU.
The failing EU is no longer our largest market !!!