Fish protest: Nigel Farage dumps haddock into the Thames over “death sentence” transition deal
Brexiters led by Nigel Farage have this morning dumped a load of fish into the Thames in protest against the government’s “death sentence” transition agreement.
Jacob Rees-Mogg joined the protest for a press conference, although did not actually join the former Ukip leader in dumping the fish into the Thames. Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Craig McKinlay joined him on the banks of the river. It is thought they were dissuaded from boarding the boat with Farage by the party whip.
The event, which was organised by Fishing for Leave, is to highlight the “plight of the British fishing industry” and “existential threat” from remaining in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) for an extra year during transition. Fishing for Leave organised the infamous flotilla where Farage went head-to-head with singer Bob Geldof shortly before the referendum.
Nigel Farage has boarded! pic.twitter.com/9l6XQWbVyB— Christopher Hope 📝 (@christopherhope) March 21, 2018
Next stop on the Thames protest: Four boxes of prime haddock, fished off the Eastern English Channel being thrown back into Thames pic.twitter.com/IY39nxwtaO— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) March 21, 2018
Jacob Rees-Mogg speaks of fishermen’s fury as fellow MPs prepare for a symbolic ‘dumping of fish’ into the Thames. Says only a few members invited as ‘not many can fit on the boat’ pic.twitter.com/wsS7OnF6es— Nicholas Mairs (@Nicholas_Mairs) March 21, 2018
Fish throwing part 2. Now discussing haddock cooking techniques. pic.twitter.com/Sdb5RVeooa— Theo Usherwood (@theousherwood) March 21, 2018
Fishing for Leave claims the CFP forces British fishermen to discard half the fish they catch, equivalent to one billion fish portions. They then have to catch and kill more just to find the “right” species their quota allows them to keep.
The campaign group said: “All the government had to do was say no [to the deal], given their acknowledgement of the obvious that we will be an independent state as our membership terminates.
“What they have gone and done is capitulated to everything the EU demanded with some caveats to allow the ridiculous situation where we will be an independent coastal state but will have surrendered to re-obeying the CFP as some sort of vassal state satellite.
“The government can spin all it wants but what we have is a situation where the EU tells us what to agree internationally and then we return home to hand it all to EU control where we are maybe consulted and get to sit in the room to be told to be grateful for what we’re about to receive.
“This is a death sentence if MPs don’t reject it.”
Alongside the stunt, an open letter to Theresa May has been published warning the Prime Minister that the transition deal agreed on Monday would be “rejected” by the Commons because it effectively keeps the UK in the CFP until the end of 2020.
“The commission’s draft withdrawal agreement envisages that the UK will remain in the CFP during the implementation period but with no say over EU policy or annual quotas.
“The effect of ending discards during this period without compensating measures will be a further disaster for the UK’s already shattered fishing fleet, particularly for the inshore fleet, further eroding prosperity in vulnerable coastal communities. These demands are completely unacceptable and would be rejected by the House of Commons.”
The letter was written by Ross Thomson, the Conservative MP for Aberdeen South and signed by 12 Tories including Sir David Amess, Sir Henry Bellingham, Colin Clark, Steve Double, Richard Drax, Alister Jack, Bernard Jenkin, Craig Mackinlay, Sheryl Murray, Derek Thomas, Martin Vickers and Jacob Rees-Mogg, the chair of the ERG. It has also been signed by Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s Brexit spokesman.
Earlier this week, the move was attacked by several politicians including Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.