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Full marks to Alex Salmond for
supporting Scottish fishing
James Irvine
Teviot Scientific, Cultybraggan Farm, Comrie,
Perthshire
Filed 15 Jul 07
©www.land-care.org.uk
Alex Salmond as Scotland's new First Minister,
at his first meeting with Gordon Brown and at his first foray into
the EU in his new role, is to claim that Scotland should lead the
UK team regarding the negotiation of EU fishing rules and regulations:
the dreaded EU Directives and European Commission rules.
And indeed so he should.
Fishing boats at Mallaig harbour
(To enlarge photo Click
Here)
Photo ©Kimpton Graphics
Previously under the Blair government, with its
lack of interest in either fishing or farming, the UK fishing industry
got a very poor deal. But 70% of all UK fishing is Scotland based.
So it is only fair that Scotland should be to the fore in the UK
negotiating team with regard to fishing.
This should not be regarded as a parochial Scottish
National Party (SNP) initiative, but in the interests of Scotland
in general, and indeed those of the UK. People who have a dedicated
interest in the subject are much more likely to be more persuasive,
than those whose interests have appeared somewhat remote.
It will be a test of Gordon Brown, another Scot
and whose constituency is in Fife, as to his interest in rural affairs,
as opposed to urban matters that he is accustomed to. If Gordon
Brown wants to keep the UK together he had better pay more attention
to rural matters in Scotland and not use them as a political pawn
in the mould of his predecessor.
©www.land-care.org.uk
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