Latest news with #FishingandCoastalGrowthFund
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
John Swinney's poundshop Farage act is a price gladly worth paying
Scotland's fishing industry has been 'surrendered' by the UK government and 'negotiated away' during the talks to reset Brexit. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Voters might assume such alarmist rhetoric came from Nigel Farage, but these were the words of our self-styled progressive First Minister John Swinney. Brexit is where the language of nationalists converges. The fishing industry is not a large part of Scotland's economy. Roughly two pence in every £10 generated here comes from sea fisheries. By anyone's reckoning that seems out of proportion to the First Minister's focus, and here's the rub – the deal that John Swinney is rivalling Farage to oppose doesn't even change the terms on which EU boats access our waters, it just extends the current rules into the next decade. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Furthermore, it comes with a £360 million UK-wide Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund to target assistance at coastal communities. SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney at St Mary's For All in Hamilton, Lanarkshire. Picture: Robert Perry/PA Wire I am a realist, so I do not want to say that yesterday's deal represents a change in season from the nationalist nuclear winter that has gripped Scotland and the rest of the UK for much of the past 15 years. But maybe it is a sign changes will come if we can focus on stuff that makes even small differences in real lives. It's a tantalising prospect for anyone sick of the flags-with-everything diet. The significance of this agreement extends well beyond fishing. It represents a broader shift from nationalist division towards practical governance — jobs, economic stability, and everyday living standards. Under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the UK government has embraced pragmatic, results-driven policymaking, prioritising realistic solutions over divisive nationalism. Without being revolutionary, the deal will have impact. It will make it easier to export and import food and drink, so lowering prices and increasing choice. The Tories' flawed Brexit deal cut food exports by 21 per cent and imports by 7 per cent. Some sectors, including fishing, were hit particularly hard while others, such as Scotland's seed potatoes, lost all their EU market. We have a chance to reverse those setbacks. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There will be other benefits. EU travel will become simpler with access to e-Gates for UK passport holders and pet passports will return. A youth mobility scheme is coming, expanding opportunities for young people. Perhaps more important than even the economics is the new Security and Defence Partnership. This will strengthen all of Europe's response to Vladimir Putin at a moment of extreme danger. Faced with Russian imperialism the worst mistake would be to think we can, as in the past, rely on American guarantees or to hope to make ourselves so small on the international stage the big boys won't notice us and leave us alone. The Russian threat is not just an assault to our sovereignty, but also to liberty and our way of life. The reason Putin unites many on the far left and the hard right in admiration is his deep illiberalism. Demonstrating our willingness to resist is to make a stand over values as well as over borders. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The past ten months has not always been easy for Labour, but the record of real achievements is mounting up. If the price for that is Mr Swinney's poundshop Farage act, I will gladly pay.
The Herald Scotland
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
What Keir Starmer's new UK–EU agreement means for Scotland
A central and controversial element of the deal is the extension of EU fishing rights in UK waters until 2038. This 12-year continuation maintains current access arrangements, which were initially set to expire in 2026. The UK Government argues that the move provides stability and certainty for the fishing sector. However, Scottish fishing communities and the Scottish Government have voiced strong opposition. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes described the agreement as a 'great betrayal', emphasising that the Scottish Government was not consulted, despite fisheries being a devolved matter. To mitigate concerns, the UK Government announced a £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund aimed at investing in new technology, equipment and support for coastal communities. 🥩 Food and farming: Reduced red tape, EU standards apply The agreement includes a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, which aligns UK food safety and animal health standards with those of the EU. This alignment is expected to eliminate most routine border checks on animal and plant products between Great Britain and the EU. It will also permit the export of some previously restricted products, including burgers and sausages, back into the EU market. For Scotland, this is significant, facilitating smoother exports for key sectors such as seafood and agriculture. However, it also means that the UK, including Scotland, must adhere to evolving EU regulations in these areas. ✈️ Travel: Easier entry into the EU Under the new agreement: UK passport holders will be able to use e-gates at European airports, speeding up entry processes. Pet travel will be simplified, with the reintroduction of pet passports, eliminating the need for repeat veterinary certificates for each trip. This cat can travel to Europe with new passport (Image: Borders Pet Rescue) 🎓 Students and young people: Erasmus+ and youth mobility The UK has agreed to work towards rejoining the Erasmus+ programme, making it easier and more affordable for Scottish students to study abroad in Europe. In addition, both the EU and UK have agreed to work towards establishing a balanced youth experience scheme, allowing young people aged 18–30 from both sides to work, study, volunteer or travel in each other's countries for a limited period. The scheme is intended to provide a dedicated visa path, with mutually agreed terms and participant numbers. 🛡️ Defence and security: Opportunities for Scottish firms The agreement establishes a new UK–EU defence and security partnership, including access for UK defence companies to the EU's €150 billion defence fund – potentially benefiting Scottish firms in shipbuilding, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. It also commits the UK and EU to enhanced cooperation on security matters, including support for Ukraine, cyber security and countering hybrid threats. 🔌 Energy and environment: Closer collaboration The UK and EU have agreed to work towards linking their carbon emissions trading systems (ETS) to create a more integrated carbon market. They will also explore UK participation in the EU's internal electricity market, which could lead to more efficient energy trade and potentially lower energy costs.
