Scottish fishermen sold down the river

Sir, – In the negotiations in the 1970s when we signed up to what was then the Common Fisheries Policy in the European Economic Community, the then Prime Minister Edward Heath believed the Scottish fishing industry was expendable.

Later, it was made plain by the EU that it was nonsensical of Scottish fishermen to believe they would have control of the waters around Scotland.

In the run-up to the last general election, Scottish Conservative Party leader Ruth Davidson made the pledge to Scottish fishermen that the Tories would take back control of our waters on day one of leaving the EU.

Just last week Ruth Davidson and her partner-in-crime, Michael Gove, reiterated this promise. Guess what?

With the Brexit transition deal just struck in Brussels, the Scottish fishermen have been sold down the river.

Fishing will be in the hands of the EU for another two years and who knows for how long after the transition period ends in 2020.

Unless Scotland has control over fishing when the powers come back from the EU, (something Mrs May is unwilling to give the devolved Scottish Parliament, and we can now see why she can’t) then the Scottish Conservative Party is in big trouble. They will again be able to hold their conferences in Scotland in a phone box.

Not that this will bother the Conservatives south of the border. Scots don’t vote Tory. So again fishing – and the Scottish Conservaties – are expendable.

Of the million people in Scotland who voted to leave the EU, I believe the largest majority of them were involved in the fishing and ancillary industries, and regaining control of our fishing is vital to them. Walter Hamilton. Flat 3 , City Park, City Road, St Andrews.

A fishing boat heads out to sea at Eyemouth harbour in the Scottish Borders. An angry reaction from the Scottish fishing industry has greeted the recently struck Brexit transition deal.