Ian Murray is far too easily pleased with pathetic UK/EU trade deal

The National

21-05-2025

The Viceroy is easily pleased. The deal is pathetic. He says it could add £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040. That's just 0.00035% of the UK's £2.56 trillion GDP, while Brexit has slashed 5%.
This won't help Scotland. The Scottish Fishermen's Federation slammed the deal. It gives EU fishing vessels access to UK waters until 2038. Kate Forbes complained Scotland wasn't consulted – fisheries are devolved – but power devolved is power retained.
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Murray claims the deal 'opens the door for the UK to participate in a €150 billion loans-for-arms fund … with huge potential benefits for the Scottish defence industry.' Wrong. New defence contracts will funnel money to private corporations based in the US and Europe. Share prices are soaring at the prospect. And there's not much bang for the buck. Every pound spent on defence generates less than £1 of economic activity.
Since Starmer says he won't return the UK to the EU, why wouldn't he consider re-joining the European Free Trade Association (Efta), established to promote economic cooperation and free trade? The UK was a founding member before leaving in 1973 to join the European Economic Community that became the EU. Efta membership provides full access to the EU's internal market plus:
• It excludes agricultural and fisheries policies, has no customs union, common trade, foreign or security policy, harmonised taxation or monetary union.
• All members take part in Schengen (freedom of movement) through bilateral agreements.
• It negotiates free trade agreements and has 33 with 44 countries and territories outside the EU, and members can make their own deals with countries whereas EU members can't negotiate with non-EU countries.
• Members avoid the EU political integration and cumbersome decision-making process.
Efta may not allow the UK back in, but could view an independent Scotland more favourably. Scotland would need to leave the UK for either Efta or EU membership. If the Scottish administration was serious about helping Scotland, it would be furiously working on an exit plan.
Leah Gunn Barrett
Edinburgh
I WRITE as a former British Sea Fisheries Officer in what was then the Scottish Office. I served in all ranks from Second Officer to Marine Superintendent and have maintained my interest since I retired. The fishing industry in a UK context is a minor consideration; in a Scottish context, it is vital.
To the English government – and I use the term English advisedly, for it is elected by the English and acts for England, which forms 85% of our regrettably United Kingdom – Scotland has few votes and thus can be safely ignored. Scotland is vital to the UK economy because its five million people live on something like 30% of this island's natural resources. One of these resources is fish. Something around 75% of British fishing is Scottish.
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In this current EU agreement, Scottish fishing was given away like a pound of tea, as it was in the original British accession to the common market. We Scots have good reason to be very angry and to get out from under the clammy embrace of Westminster. I am fully aware that an independent Scotland would have negotiated access to our waters for foreign vessels, but it would not be some Downing Street minister who would be doing the negotiation. It could be that our fishing may be a reason for not joining the EU but associating with it in a different way as some other countries do, but that is a matter for economists, not for me.
Captain R Mill Irving
Gifford, East Lothian
A RATHER interesting point made by the PM Sir Keir Starmer when he announced the trade deal with the EU: 'Britain is back on the world stage'! Mr Starmer, Scotland never left the world stage, Scotland was dragged out of it! Scotland fully recognised the need to remain in the single market and the customs union, yet we were dragged away from our largest and closest trading partners.
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I very much welcome a closer relationship with the EU, as it will benefit our export businesses. So, what will this new trade deal with the EU bring to Scotland? Well, Scotland and her government at Holyrood had no prior notice because Scotland was not invited to the EU trade deal negotiations, despite the PM on taking office promising to 'reset devolution'. A clear example once again from the Labour government at Westminster that Scotland is an afterthought and deserves no voice. The Scottish fishing industry is furious with the EU trade deal, because the EU will now have unlimited access to Scottish waters for the next 12 years.
Furious is an understatement. The PM and his Labour government in the last ten days have shown their total disrespect for our devolved nation and government and her people. Closing the door to much-needed immigration without any negotiations with our government in Holyrood and now EU trade deals again with no input from Scotland. Scotland's public and private sector deserve a voice, we deserve to be heard. We simply cannot continue not being seen or heard, while having to endure the damaging impact.
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk
HAVE any other readers noticed that M&S are advertising on their Scottish milk that the milk comes from animals assured by the RSPCA? Given that the RSPCA only operates in England and Wales, and the Scottish SPCA operate in Scotland, does this mean that M&S's Scottish milk is coming from England and Wales? Or does it mean that M&S are unaware that the RSPCA does not operate in Scotland? Either way it is a very poor piece of marketing that shows a lack of understanding of Scotland!
Peter Clark
via email