Humza Yousaf’s SNP is disregarding its own “brutal failings” by producing a fresh white paper on how an independent Scotland will reclaim control of British fishing seas, campaigners warn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SNP produced a paper aimed at outlining how an independent Scotland’s marine sector would “thrive and grow.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 47-page document, the eighth in the series, comes on the heels of a recent EU report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It claims that Scotland’s maritime industry has “significant further potential, but that potential can only be reached if we have the full powers to give the sector the support it needs and the prioritisation it deserves” .<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, claimed Scottish ministers were \u201ccrassly ignoring\u201d the impact quitting the UK would have on Scotland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said: \u201cLike all the other papers in this series, the latest document fails to assess the impact on Scotland of leaving Britain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe should all be incredibly proud of our exports, but it\u2019s negligent not to acknowledge that by far the most important market is the rest of the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat is how separation would impact Scotland\u2019s economy most, and yet ministers \u2013 by deliberately leaving this out of their assessments \u2013 are crassly ignoring it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis paper also repeats many of the fantasies set out in the EU paper last week, and doesn\u2019t offer Scots any assurances on how membership would be achieved and at what cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd island communities, described as \u2018integral\u2019 in this report, will be disappointed that a paper about the marine sector doesn\u2019t acknowledge the Scottish Government\u2019s brutal failing of the ferries network, or how a separate Scotland would run it any better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt must be noted the bill for these papers is being footed by us, the taxpayers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnough is enough. It\u2019s time for the people\u2019s priorities, not the\u00a0SNP\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SNP report, Our Marine Sector in an Independent Scotland, was launched on Tuesday by Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She told the\u00a0Press and Journal: \u201cScotland is a proud maritime nation and our marine sector is a national asset. But it is only with the full powers of independence that we can unlock its full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBrexit\u00a0has significantly impacted Scotland\u2019s marine sector, creating major barriers to trade, reducing access to labour and a loss of fishing opportunities for parts of our fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs an independent EU member state, Scotland would for the first time be able to negotiate for its own priorities at the heart of Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Humza Yousaf’s SNP is disregarding its own “brutal failings” by producing a fresh white paper on how an independent Scotland will reclaim control of British fishing seas, campaigners warn. The … <\/p>\n