May: We’ll control our fishing

PM’s Brexit vow to trawlermen – as she slaps down Sturgeon on power grab

THE UK will be an ‘independent coastal state’ after leaving the EU Theresa May promised yesterday – as she slapped down Nicola Sturgeon’s claims of a ‘power grab’.

The Prime Minister used a visit to Scotland to reassure the fishing industry that Britain will control its own waters after Brexit.

She vowed that the country will decide which foreign trawlers have access after the transition period ends in December 2020.

Her intervention – a year to the day before the UK leaves the EU – comes after she was heavily criticised over the deal, which means the UK remains in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) for almost two years after Brexit.

Miss Sturgeon accused her of betraying fisherman – but the First Minister came under fire over her plans for an independent Scotland, which would mean Scotland is dragged back into the CFP.

Mrs May made a whistle-stop tour of the UK yesterday, visiting all four nations to mark a year until the country leaves the EU.

Speaking while in Ayr, she promised that Britain would take back control of its waters – and decide which foreign vessels could fish in them.

She met fishing leaders this week at Downing Street to assure them the terms of the transition deal would end at the close of 2020.

Yesterday, Mrs May said: ‘I was very pleased yesterday to meet representatives of the Scottish fishing industry to hear from them directly what they want to see in terms of our fishing once we have become that independent coastal state which we will become at the end of the implementation period.

‘When we are out of the European Union, at the end of that implementation period, it will be the UK that will be determining access to our waters.

‘So I was very pleased to hear directly from the Scottish fishing industry what their interests and their hopes for the future are.’

She added: ‘We want to rebuild that industry for the future. That’s our aim and that’s what we will be talking to the fishing industry here in Scotland and elsewhere about over the coming months. ‘

Mrs May also used her visit to slap down Miss Sturgeon’s claims that the UK’s EU Withdrawal Bill is a ‘power grab’, saying: ‘We are not taking back any of the powers that are currently devolved.

‘The Scottish Government will be receiving more powers as a result of us leaving the EU.

‘What we’re discussing with the Scottish Government is how we can do that and ensure that we maintain the ability for Scottish farmers, Scottish businesses, to trade freely across the whole of the UK, just as we are negotiating the agreement to ensure they can continue to trade freely with the rest of the European Union.’

Meanwhile, Miss Sturgeon yesterday claimed she would ‘not support’ Scotland returning to the CFP, despite her party’s policy that an independent Scotland would become a full member of the EU – and the rules state members must sign up to the hated deal.

At First Minister’s Questions yesterday, Scottish Greens coconvener Patrick Harvie urged Miss Sturgeon to back the CFP as part of full EU membership.

He said: ‘Fish are one of the environmental resources that can clearly be managed only on a shared basis among countries.

‘Does the First Minister accept that, without the Common Fisheries Policy, we would not have cod left in the sea or in the shops?

‘That shared approach to a shared environmental resource will always be necessary.’

Miss Sturgeon – who has accused the Tories of ‘selling out’ fishermen by allowing EU rules and quotas to continue during the transition period – replied: ‘Scottish fishermen have discharged their responsibilities to conservation, and they should be credited for doing that.

‘Even taking into account the points Patrick Harvie has made, the Common Fisheries Policy is not fair to Scottish fishermen. That is why I do not support it.’

However, the Scottish Government’s independence white paper states Scotland would ‘continue as a member of the EU’.

The Scotland’s Place in Europe paper also backs membership.

Miss Sturgeon’s spokesman confirmed the position on Europe remained party policy.

Asked if Scotland would be an ‘independent coastal state’ in full control of its waters, he refused to be drawn on the issue.

‘Aim is to rebuild fishing industry’