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Moray MSP demands Tory apology for Brexit deal


By Chris Saunderson

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THE Conservative party must apologise to the people of Moray for the Brexit mess which will see most businesses lost out in one form or another, insists Moray MSP Richard Lochhead.

While he said a post Brexit trade deal may be better than no deal, overall he claimed "we are still much, much worse off than prior to Brexit and even those industries that were told they’d benefit now feel betrayed".

Moray MSP Richard Lochhead. Apology required.
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead. Apology required.

“ The Conservatives must apologise to the people of Moray for getting us all into this mess. Every individual and most businesses in Moray will lose out from Brexit in one form or another. We were told it would save money but is costing us a fortune. We were told it would cut red tape but is creating a mountain of paperwork.

“Other petty and small minded decisions like the decision to walk away from the student exchange program Erasmus despite the promise to take part has led to anger.

“The people of Moray have been conned by local MP Douglas Ross and his Conservative colleagues who went round the doors in Moray in the 2017 and 2019 elections promising voters a rosy Brexit in return for their votes especially our fishing communities. Now a deal has been signed that’s led to a backlash from our fishing industry as well as many farmers and which is damaging to the wider economy.

“ Indeed, anytime Mr Ross was asked how Brexit would benefit Moray the only answer he seemed to be able to ever come up with was fishing. Now our fishermen quite rightly are accusing the UK Government and Boris Johnson of “betrayal” and of “sacrificing” their industry in the negotiations.

“Mr Ross said back in 2018 that the then two year transition year for our fishermen prior to gaining control of our waters would go down like a “pint of cold sick”. So given the final deal has been rejected by our fishermen what has he got to say for himself?

“I trust he will now make a stand for Moray and join the SNP and vote against the deal out of principle in the House of Commons?”

Moray MP Mr Ross had welcomed the trade deal.

"Credit must go to the UK and EU negotiating teams for working extremely hard for many months to complete a very complex trade agreement.

Douglas Ross: A good deal.
Douglas Ross: A good deal.

"It was important for us to seek to avoid what would have been a damaging 'no deal' outcome but this result shows the Government were right not to introduce a further delay.

"I was always against extending the period for the talks because that would simply have delayed a final decision being reached. This deal means we can go into 2021 focusing solely on Covid-19 and rebuilding our economy from the pandemic, not continuing to debate Brexit.

"This trade deal will protect jobs and trade with our European neighbours - which is vitally important for our businesses here in Moray.

And of course, we will be taking sovereign control over our coastal waters as we leave the hated Common Fisheries Policy.

Mr Ross said the UK Government will provide a £100m fund to support the fishing industry through the five and a half year transition.

“I now hope every MP will look seriously at the deal that has been agreed, allow Parliament to scrutinise it and then decide if they will vote for a deal or to have no deal from the 1st January. They are the only two options we will have when Parliament is recalled on the 30th December.

"It is now time for all of us to put division behind us and get on with tackling Coronavirus and rebuilding our economy from the pandemic."



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