Brexit deal: Carlisle biscuit boom or Tees fishing wipeout?
Reform UK's newest council leader has claimed the government's trade deal with the EU will see the "wipeout" of the British fishing industry. On Monday, the government announced a new agreement to reduce red tape in areas including food standards, passport control and defence, while in turn allowing EU fishing boats continued access to UK waters until 2038. Durham County councillor Andrew Husband said the government had "given away quite a lot to go through the airport a little bit quicker." However, Labour MP Julie Minns defended the policy on fishing, as did Conservative peer Lord Kirkhope, and proclaimed the new deal as "fantastic news for biscuits" manufactured in her Carlisle constituency.
Speaking on BBC Politics North, Husband said: "What you've got now is an ageing population in the fishing industry, especially in the North East of England, who now are going to see a further 12 years of massive competition in the British waters."That is not going to encourage new fishermen to come through, in fact what will happen is you'll see a wipeout of the British fishing industry in the next 12 years unless there's a change of government in four years time."Minns retorted: "It's exactly the same Brexit freedoms deal that the last Conservative government negotiated, this is about actually future proofing it."
Speaking on behalf of the Conservatives, Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate - who describes himself as "pro-EU" - said the deal was in fact good news for the fishing industry. He told presenter Helen Richardson: "Lobsters on every restaurant table in Paris and Brussels now will not cost as much and so will be sold in greater numbers. "Our inshore fishermen all round Yorkshire for instance are really going to benefit here from this deal."I'm reluctant to give too much to the government, but this deal is a good start."
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch had hit out at the deal, saying: "We're becoming a rule-taker from Brussels once again,"When pushed, former MEP Lord Kirkhope accepted significant differences with the party leader. "I don't agree about some of the things that have been said by my leader, and others, on this particular theme."He added: "I am saying that it would be madness in the world in which we now live, with all the new international pressures, that we do not make the very best of the relationship with our biggest market and our closest neighbours."
Julie Minns' Carlisle constituency is home to one of the UK's oldest biscuit factories, now owned by McVities, which first opened in 1831. On Tuesday she celebrated the impact of the new trade deal in the Commons, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer branding the deal "good for biscuits." Minns told the BBC: "He said it was good news for biscuits, good news for business."I'd also add it's good news for Britain as well."We live in a very very uncertain world. We need that closer tie with our nearest European neighbours.
BBC Politics North airs at 10:00BST on BBC One. Catch up with latest episodes now on the BBC iPlayer. Follow BBC North East on X and Facebook and BBC Cumbria on X and Facebook and both on Nextdoor and Instagram.
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