Stupidity of Salmond (Andrew Mackintosh
I have no axe to grind in the independence debate but the sheer stupidity of Alex Salmond’s threat to exclude non-Scottish fishing vessels from Scottish fishing waters, and also to obstruct access to Norwegian waters, as weapons in his independence negotiations, sets alarm bells ringing.
Fishing is an industry Mr Salmond is supposed to know something about, having represented Banff and Buchan for many years. Yet the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation has had to point out that what he is threatening is illegal in international law as well as deeply counter-productive for Scottish fishermen.
In 2012, there were £22 million worth of landings by Scottish fishing vessels into ports in the rest of the UK. The east coast prawn fishery was saved by fishing for stocks off the north-east of England.
Forty per cent of the “Scottish” scallop catch comes from the south-west of England. Scottish vessels fish for blue whiting in Irish waters and cod in Norwegian waters. I could go on.
The idea, promoted in Mr Salmond’s Bruges speech, that we should put all at this at risk, at least for the duration of negotiations over independence, displays breathtaking disregard for the interests of the Scottish fishing industry. Small wonder that he has been challenged by the SFF to explain his ridiculous remarks.
If Mr Salmond’s counter-productive bluster is replicated in other sectors of our economy, then heaven help Scotland in the event of him succeeding.
Andrew Mackintosh
15 Balmoral Terrace
Inverness.
Ian tinkler
As I have so often believed , Salmond is the greatest asset the “Better together ” could ever have. Anyone in any doubt about this man’s absolute lack of any integrity should just look up “79 Group” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/79_Group), there you will find the real Alex Salmond, not the false image he is now displaying in the hope of extorting votes to further his own ends. He is a proclaimed republican, whom now panders to the Monarchy, a proclaimed unilateral anti nuclear advocate whom now recommends entering a nuclear alliance with NATO. I could go on and on but basically this man is not honest, will say and do anything to further his own ends. He is now showing himself to also be utterly stupid, for example the above fishing ban, praise of Putin, tolerance of the Taliban when pandering to women’s rights, an idiotic energy policy, wrecking Scotland’s countryside and producing the most expensive electricity in Europe. Heaven held Scotland if he manages to destroy The Union.
Martyn Fisher
Once again “Better to Together” make the same old mistake. A vote for independence is not a vote for Alex Salmond or the SNP..
Victor Yakter
Well said. A yes vote would be disasterous for the Scots fishing fleet for several reasons
1. A yes vote will put Scotland out of the EU
2. The result of a yes vote would mean that Scottish fisherman would lose their right to fish in the rest of UK waters.
3. It would remove much of their main market for fish, because it would be subject to inport controls into an EU country (vis the rest of the UK), and all other EU countries too.
4. As the President of the European Commission (and there is no reason as to why he would lie) that Scotland would find it very difficult to get into the EU. There is ample evidence available as to why this would be so.
5. It is economic suicide for the Scottish fishing industry
ian tinkle
Once again “Better to Together” make the same old mistake. A vote for independence is not a vote for Alex Salmond or the SNP.. Really Martyn! whom would be Scotland’s first Minister then? O yes, that would be Alex Salmond. If you have somebody else in mind, whom would that be? Go on just give us a clue.
Douglas Young
The utter absurdity of linking Alex Salmond to a Yes vote by Better Together would be exposed were there to be a No vote.
After which Alex Salmond and the SNP will both be in power and probably after the 2016 general election too.
Hopefully the penny will drop before the 18th of September that we are not voting for any politicians.
Gordon Harmer
Douglas, I understand why you wish to distance your self from Salmond and the SNP, especially as Salmond is such a liability to your Yes campaign. To be realistic the only absurdity regarding Salmond and the SNP is to assert that they have no link to a yes vote.
Salmond himself proves there is a link with his “how I will win the yes vote” comment on a Sky News interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d0ugBaLSpE
Then we have him pontificating in Bruges on what will happen after a yes vote if Scotland is not allowed into the EU. His illegal threats prove he intends to be in power after the unlikely event of a yes vote.
He and the SNP have provided us with a white paper on how the country will be run after a yes vote, something you yourself have used as your independence bible in your Yes campaign. Douglas no other political party has signed up to what is in the white paper, the only party who can implement its contents are the SNP lead by Alex Salmond. So are you now telling us that the white paper is a load of bunkum and not worth the paper it is written on, because I cannot understand why Salmond and the SNP published it if they did not mean to be in power after the referendum to implement its contents.
Why would they promulgate so many assertions and empty promises if there were no great prize at the end of the independence rainbow.
What ever you, Salmond or the SNP claim; a yes vote is all about Salmond, Sturgeon, Sweeney and the SNP.
Ian Tinkler
Douglas, you should be a comedian. I realise Alex is a total liability but like it or not, he represents the NATS and the Yes campaign, and would be the negotiator in chief of an independent Scotland. Just a simple matter of fact, no more no less, operation fear? well that thought frightens me!
John Jamieson
Alex Salmond made no threats to exclude non-Scottish fishing vessels from Scottish fishing waters, nor to obstruct access to Norwegian waters.
What he pointed out was that if on independence Scotland was excluded from the EU then all of the current EU fishing treaties applying to Scotland would be null and void.
Consequently EU fishing vessels would have no access to Scottish fishing grounds, conversely Scottish vessels would have no access to EU fishing grounds.
The agreement on fishing between Norway and the EU involves the swapping of quotas, most of which comes from Scottish waters so EU vessels would no longer have access to Norwegian quota.
Incidentally the Norwegian negotiator in the recent round of talks said that it was becoming more and more difficult for the EU to find quota that was of interest to the Norwegian fishing fleet.