|
As the Tory candidate lurched ever further to the right and dog
whistle politics on issues such as immigration and Europe, while
also seemingly making a plea for people to forgive the betrayal of
Scotland's fishing sector, I penned the letter below:
in the Berwickshire News/Southern Reporter 26 June/3rd July
2008
Sir/Madam
My Tory counterpart rails at the Spanish, French, and Dutch for
“pillaging Scottish fishing waters”. Our waters are over-fished,
thanks to Conservatives selling fishermen out when negotiating entry
to the then EEC, in 1972. Our neighbours got what they wanted
without a fight from Ted Heath, when Tory Ministers had ample
opportunity then to make fisheries a ‘red-line’ issue. They even
famously described the industry as “expendable”. Thereafter, Mrs
Thatcher repeatedly failed our fishermen. So did John Major. If Mr
Walker hopes the good folk of East Berwickshire have short memories,
and have forgotten the Tories’ role in the decline of fisheries, he
is mistaken.
As to the Lisbon Treaty, I would have voted against, as did all SNP
MPs. Meanwhile we are stuck with a Lib Dem MP who abstains on key
Lisbon Treaty votes, including on fishing issues, and was promoted
for doing so, while Lib Dem peers went on to vote to ratify the
Treaty in the House of Lords.
The SNP Government has provided the fishing sector with Ministers
with the spine to protect Scotland’s interests. Conservation
management powers were gained through being robust, but opting to
work with the EU, scientists and fishermen to develop mutual trust.
EU policies in agriculture and fisheries remain deeply flawed.
However, Scotland and the Borders have been ill-served by
Westminster Tory and Labour administrations’ failure to seize the
opportunities presented by Europe, compounded by UK civil servants’
zealously implementing new regulations to combine Tory and Labour
ineptitude at a diplomatic level. While French ministers help
their fishermen with marine diesel costs, UK ministers choose not
to. It’s time we had a direct voice to Europe and to make it work
for us, rather than against us.
Mr Walker complains about cheap imports. Was Mrs Thatcher not the
driving force behind the Single European Act, specifically to
promote trade? Manufacturing was almost destroyed under the
Tories. Besides, Mr Walker can’t have it both ways; without major
continental markets for langoustines and lobsters, key Eyemouth
employers like D.R. Collin and Son would not be the success they are
today. Borders farmers’ livelihoods depend upon continental
livestock and food markets. Hoteliers and B&Bs benefit from
increased tourism from the European mainland. The UK Treasury makes
billions of pounds in taxes on Scotch whisky and Scottish oil sold
in EU markets.
Mr Walker suggests EU migrants “come and settle here and then claim
dole”. He then claims to enjoy Europe’s cultural diversity, but
implies he wants ‘Johnny Foreigner’ to stay abroad. To paraphrase
his leader; his letter has a ‘nasty stain of narrow British
separatism’ about it. Some EU migrants may be unemployed, but the
overwhelming majority are filling jobs we don’t want, and filling
key roles such as in dentistry or as deck hands on fishing boats.
The majority are hard working and many are over-qualified for the
job they fill. By return, in Spain alone, more than one million UK
citizens have settled permanently and I presume they use social,
education and health services there. This is a reciprocal
arrangement and, he would do well to avoid resorting to cheap shots
that are, again, not supported by the facts.
Yours faithfully
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate,
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
|
|
