Douglas Ross 'Culpable' in Brexit Destruction of Scotland's Fishing Sector

Scottish Seafood Industry Deserve Full Apology for Disastrous Deal
Douglas Ross has been accused of being culpable in the demise of Scotland’s fishing industry after admitting during the STV Leaders' Debate that the Tories had ‘not done enough’ for the sector.

The Scottish Tory leader is being urged to issue a full apology to Scotland’s seafood industry after he voted for the rotten Brexit deal that has left it struggling to export produce to mainland Europe.

Since Scotland was dragged out of the EU against its will, Scotland’s fishermen have reported sky-rocketing costs, increased red tape and reduced catch sizes.

The cost of Brexit has not only mounted for the fishing industry but also for Scotland’s exporters and our world-renowned farming and food production firms.

The SNP has provided funding for Scotland’s fisheries to mitigate the worst impacts of Brexit.

Commenting, SNP candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam said:

“It is frankly an insult for Scotland’s fisheries to hear Douglas Ross say the Tories have not done enough for the industry – he is culpable as he voted for the rotten Brexit deal that has put them in this situation.

“These industries have been hit by the double-whammy of COVID and Brexit. It was reckless to say the least for the Tories to pursue their Brexit fantasy in the middle of a global pandemic when businesses were struggling already.

“It is not enough for Douglas Ross and the Tories to say they did not do enough - the industry needs action and it needs it now.

“The Tories' Brexit has left the sector worse off than when we were part of the European Union, and the Single Market and Customs Union. The only way Scotland can return to the top table is with independence and the only way to deliver that is by putting Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands with Both Votes SNP.”

Praise for New Cullen Town Guide from Local SNP Candidate

SNP Candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam has praised the team behind the new Cullen Town Guide and Map which has been published.

Cullen Voluntary Tourist Initiative working with Cullen & Deskford Community Council and Cullen Volunteer Group have secured funding from the Scottish Government’s “Scotland Loves Local Fund” to produce the map.

Commenting, Karen Adam said:

“I congratulate those involved in this great initiative and very much welcome the funding from the Scottish Government to assist.

“Cullen is a popular tourist destination and one of the jewels of the Banffshire coast so I hope that, once it is safe once again to do so, this publication will lead to more visitors coming to the area and boosting local businesses in and around Cullen.”

Adam Comments on Announcement of Net Zero Project Funding - "UK Govt Turns Up Late Again for Scotland"

SNP candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam has welcomed the announcement by the UK Business and Energy Secretary today (Wednesday) of funding from the ‘Industrial Decarbonisation Fund’ for Scotland’s Net Zero Infrastructure project, based at St Fergus. However, the amount pales into insignificance compared to the £1 billion grant which was axed by the UK Government from Peterhead in 2015.

In 2015, the Tory Government axed the £1 billion grant which could have created 600 jobs in Peterhead while helping Scotland become a global leader in clean energy technology – despite the funding being promised in their 2015 manifesto and a major promise from David Cameron in the 2014 referendum campaign.

   

Commenting, SNP candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam said:

“I think the Tories must think the people of the North-east have really short memories. It was only a few years ago that there was a billion-pound project ready to go and it was ditched by the Tory Government. Indeed, SNP MPs were pushing the Westminster Government to act on carbon capture projects being worked-up in the North-east as far back as 2007.

“The £31million is very welcome but we’d be light years ahead of where we are now and our global competitors if the UK Government hadn’t pulled funding of a much larger magnitude from the Carbon Capture and Storage project all those years ago. It just goes to prove that the UK Government always turns up too late for Scotland.

“Scotland can and should be at the forefront of energy technology - that’s what will secure jobs and investment in our region. We need to take powers into our own hands with independence to make Scotland a global leader in energy and protect jobs in our region. A net zero, a greener recovery and ensuring energy transition to protect jobs in the North-east will be at heart of SNP’s priorities locally.”

Former Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson added:

“The Scottish Government’s £62 million Energy Transition Fund announced in June will support businesses in the oil, gas and energy sectors as they grow and diversify and will help attract private sector investment in the region.

“The investment, with a focus on the North-east, underpins our region’s ambitions to become a world leader in the transition to net zero, helping Scotland meet its ambitious targets on climate change.

“Major projects to be considered for funding include a Global Underwater Hub, Net Zero Solution Centre projects, a Hydrogen Hub, the Acorn project and an Energy Transition Zone.”

Tory Candidate Called-Out on False Claim on Seafood Taskforce

SNP candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam has condemned comments by the local Conservative candidate claiming that SNP Ministers have not joined meetings of the recently-established Seafood Taskforce.

Ms Adam has pointed out that Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing joined both of the meetings held to date – where local Tory MP David Duguid was also present.

Commenting, Karen Adam said:

“The SNP Government originally pressed alongside industry for the ministerial taskforce and were pleased when the UK Government agreed to this.

“Contrary to what the Conservative candidate claims, Fergus Ewing has attended both meetings held to date and participated fully.

“The Conservative candidate needs to apologise. He is either deliberately trying to harm the reputation of the Scottish Fisheries Minister or he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. His own Tory colleagues sat in the taskforce meeting with Fergus Ewing. So, to suggest otherwise is just mendacious.

“It should also be remembered that the Scottish Government got on and delivered its own support scheme because people couldn’t wait for the UK Government to make up its mind on what it would do – it originally drew the criteria to qualify for its £23m scheme so narrowly that very few of those affected qualified.”

Scots Fishermen Need Action Now on Brexit Chaos

SNP Blast 'Clueless' Scottish Tory Over Month of Losses
Boris Johnson’s UK Tory government has been urged to take action now to mitigate the impacts of Brexit as it sets up a working group headed up by ‘clueless’ Scottish Tory Minister David Duguid.

More than a month after the end of the transition period Scottish fisheries are still suffering from increased costs, mountains of red tape and rotting fish in the back of lorries.

It comes as a ‘seafood taskforce’ is set up in the Scotland Office, one month too late for the seafood industry which has been forced to its knees because of Brexit.

The group will be led by Tory MP David Duguid who in an interview earlier today on Good Morning Scotland, cast aside the serious concerns of Scotland’s fisheries as ‘teething problems’ and that Westminster was ‘doing everything it could’, despite these problems going on for more than a month and calls for extra support falling on deaf ears.

Commenting, SNP candidate for Banffshire and Buchan Coast Karen Adam said:

“At a time when the Tories should be focusing on sorting out the challenges being faced by Scotland’s fishing communities, it is having endless discussions when it should be taking tangible action to protect the industry.

“It has been more than a month since the end of the transition period and what the Tories arrogantly dismiss as ‘teething problems’ continue for Scottish exporters. David Duguid is completely clueless as to the issues being faced by exporters in his own constituency.

“Scotland’s fisheries have been completely neglected by the Tories since the end of the transition period and it demonstrates the priorities of Westminster that this taskforce will only meet every fortnight.

“Fishermen do not have a fortnight to wait to fix these problems, they need support now.

“That is why the Scottish Government has stepped in to provide much-needed support for businesses by investing £7.75million to mitigate some of the harm caused and provided funding for two Brexit supervisors to be taken on at Seafood Scotland. The Tories cannot be trusted to protect Scotland’s fishing industry.”

Boris Johnson Caught Lying to Scottish Fishermen - Again

The SNP has slammed Boris Johnson for blatantly lying to Scottish fishermen during a campaign visit north of the border today.

Speaking to the press during the so-called ‘essential’ visit to Scotland, Johnson chose to repeat false claims that North Sea cod and North Sea haddock will see “big increases” in quota and a “25% increase in overall quota in just the next few years”.

Earlier this month, the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation wrote to the Tory Prime Minister saying the 25 per cent figure was not true.

The Federation’s Chief Executive, Elspeth MacDonald, wrote “you and your Government have spun a line about a 25% uplift in quota for the UK, but you know this is not true, and your deal does not deliver that.”

Ms MacDonald also described the “great deal of anger” regarding Boris Johnson’s failed promises to the sector.

Analysis from the Scottish Government in December 2020 found that Scottish fishing interests would be adversely impacted by the Tory Brexit deal with drops in the key fishing stocks mentioned by the Prime Minister, rather than the “big increase” he falsely claimed.

Commenting, SNP candidate for Banffshire & Buchan Coast Karen Adam said:

“Boris Johnson has been caught hook, line and sinker repeating total lies to Scotland’s fishermen.

“The industry is quite rightly livid with the total disregard this Tory government has shown towards vital seafood businesses in the middle of a global pandemic.

“Anywhere this Tory Prime Minister goes he leaves behind him a trail of lies, bluster and broken promises. He must set the record straight and apologise to the industry for repeating this false narrative.

“Scotland has been ignored and lied to since day one of this Tory Brexit process.

“People in Scotland have the right to choose a better future – it’s clearer than ever the only way to protect our interests is through independence.”

"How Long is Piece of String?" - Tories Blasted for Fishing Industry Complacency

Tories Must Take Responsibility for Seafood Industry Chaos
The Tories have been blasted for “sheer complacency” when it comes to the Brexit delays which are putting Scotland’s seafood export industry at risk - after a senior Tory disregarded industry concerns and attempted to shift the blame for the Tories’ Brexit chaos.

In an interview with the BBC, Scotland Office Minister David Duguid was asked how long it will take to fix supply chain problems caused by Brexit. He responded “how long is a piece of string?”

Jamie McMillan, Managing Director of Loch Fyne Langoustines, told the Good Morning Scotland programme that small Scottish seafood companies are being put out of business by Brexit delays.

He asked Tory MPs to “stop lying” to the Scottish fishing industry, which he said was “dismayed” about being “led down the garden path” by Boris Johnson.

Yesterday the Tory government's Fisheries Minister faced calls to resign after admitting that she had not fully read the details of the damaging Brexit deal on fisheries because she was “very busy organising the local Nativity trail”.

SNP candidate for Banffshire & Buchan Coast, Karen Adam, said:

“The responsibility for these problems lies solely at the door of Tory politicians who promised our fishing industry everything, yet have delivered absolutely nothing.

“Despite claiming that there would be a ‘sea of opportunity’ when it came to our fishing and seafood sectors, UK Tory Ministers have now washed their hands of all responsibility, showing sheer complacency about the threat to one of our most successful industries.

“The Tories told lie after lie about what would happen when we left the EU. Instead, what we have is chaos, poor preparation, systems that don’t work and businesses being left to fend for themselves - and a UK Fisheries Minister who astonishingly admitted she had not even read the damaging Brexit deal because she was busy organising a Nativity trail.

"It’s a disgrace that the Tories think they can just walk away and tell Scotland’s food, drink, seafood and farming industries that they’ll just have to suck it up.

“Boris Johnson and his band of Brexiteers simply can’t be trusted when it comes to standing up for Scottish interests. The only way to protect our economy and industry is to become an independent country within the EU.”

Karen Adam Calls On UK Government Not To Sell Out Scotland's Fishing Industry

SNP candidate for Banffshire & Buchan Coast Karen Adam has called on the UK Government not to sell out Scotland’s fishing industry as trade talks for leaving the transition period with the European Union come down to the wire.

Commenting, Karen Adam said:

“The Tories sold out Scottish fishermen on our way into Europe, and now they are gearing up to do the same again on the way out of the transition period by preparing to use Scotland’s multi-million-pound fishing industry as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the EU.

“It’s time for the Tories to do right by Scotland’s fishing industry to ensure our fishermen get a fair deal and our fish processors continue to get access to their EU markets.

“Unlike the Tories, the SNP will always stand up for Scotland’s fishing sector. If Scotland had a seat at the EU top table as an independent member we’d always put Scotland’s interests at the heart of any negotiations.”

SNP Select Local Councillor and Disabilities Advocate for Banffshire & Buchan Coast

SNP members in Banffshire & Buchan Coast have selected Aberdeenshire councillor and life-long disabilities and women’s advocate Karen Adam as their candidate for next year’s Scottish Parliament Elections.

Karen was a full-time mum before being elected to Aberdeenshire Council for the first time in 2017.

The selection process by local party members follows the decision by long-standing MSP Stewart Stevenson to retire at the next election.

Commenting on her selection, Karen Adam said:

“I’m delighted to have been selected by local SNP members to be their candidate at next year’s Scottish Parliament election.

“It goes without saying that Stewart Stevenson leaves very big shoes to fill after representing this area since 2001 and also serving in the Scottish Government twice in different ministerial roles, but I am up for that challenge.

“I remember enjoying much of my childhood at the beach in Portsoy where my father would cut and polish stones he would find. My journey of being a disabilities advocate began with my father who happens to be deaf, I was very much immersed in Deaf Society all throughout my childhood across Aberdeenshire which led to me learning British Sign Language. This is a skill I have found myself using in my role as a local councillor.

“Banffshire and Buchan Coast is a special constituency — from Boddam to Buckie, and everywhere in between, this constituency has great diversity which should be celebrated.

“We have many issues that are unique to this area and I want to champion those issues as this constituency’s next MSP and continue to support the record of delivery the SNP has in the North-east.

“Next year’s election is like no other, now is the time for Scotland to move forward as a nation towards independence which will enrich the lives of our communities right here in Banffshire & Buchan Coast.”