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”
Leon Wolfeson
What nonsense. Of course it would, it’s called democracy, a process he is not getting involved in.
The reason the UK is outvoted sometimes is we refuse to engage properly in the EU.
Your fake concern is just that, as he’s chosen not to try and change things.
Moreover, his anti-trade stance will hammer those ports even harder.
RebelWitch
The writer, by referring to UKIP’s so called “dismal voting record” in the EU Parliament, just shows that he/she is ignorant of UKIP’s approach. UKIP MEPs do not vote for any measure that would increase the power or legitimise the control of the EU over sovereign states.
Of course, if they turned up to vote as diligently as the other Europhile parties did, the likes of Left Foot Forward would castigated them hypocrisy.
The EU may have reformed the fishing rules – it remains to be seen how effective the “reform” will be – but the damage was done a long time ago and reforming the laws now is merely shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted (in fact the colt that bolted has now died of old age).
More fishermen were made redundant than Miners. The left still hate Thatcher for supposedly destroying mining, but they seem to have this weird blind spot that stops them hating the EU for doing the exact same thing to the fishermen.
RebelWitch
UKIP don’t vote for anything that increases the control and power of the EU. Read some Farage and you’d know this.
RebelWitch
Nigel Farage was elected by UKIP voters. UKIP voters do not vote for Farage or any other UKIP candidate so that they can to to the EU and go native. We vote for them so that they go to the EU Parliament, stick two fingers up at the unelected dictators of the EU Commission and come back and report about what’s going on over there.
They’re doing a fabulous job of it. More damp rag speeches, Mr Farage!
RebelWitch
The EU’s share of world trade has plummeted in the last 20 years. They have yet to conclude a trade deal with India or the US both of which the UK trades with extensively. We do not need the EU.
Have some faith in your country!