Starmer torpedoed: Only 3% of Scots think EU should control access to UK waters

Sir Keir’s plans for EU sell-out summit have just been ‘holed below waterline’, says UK Fisheries Campaign

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2025

PM’s ‘EU Reset Ship’ now rudderless, facing mountainous waves of opposition to his EU deal

Just 19 days before Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘Great Reset Summit’ with the EU, his alleged plans to submit to EU demands on fishing rights in UK waters have been depth-charged by a poll revealing that almost nine out of 10 Scots believe the EU fleet should be denied access to Scottish waters.

87% say the UK should decide access to UK waters for EU boats and 81% demand something from the EU in return for any access.

These are the headline findings of a professional poll conducted for the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and released before a major debate in the Scottish Parliament yesterday. They prove, says the UK Fisheries Campaign, that Sir Keir's plans for his Reset Summit have been "holed below the waterline".

In a part of the UK where more people voted in the EU Referendum to stay in the EU than to leave, this bombshell poll shows that 87% of people believe the UK should have full powers over which fleets fish in the UK EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone), with just 3.2% disagreeing.

Below we summarise the poll’s findings and outline the devastating impact these will have on the Prime Minister’s plans for his much-touted ‘Great Reset’ Summit.

In a further blow to Starmer, young people are also anti-EU control

With Rejoiners typically making derisory remarks about it being the elderly who are eurosceptic, this new poll leaves them with nowhere to go. Whilst support for the anti-EU position was strongest amongst older people, the young also backed the findings.

All regions of Scotland backed the ‘UK first’ principle

In all of Scotland’s regions there were very clear majorities for every question asked. Whilst it might not be surprising to see strong support for controlling access to UK waters in places such as the Highlands and Islands, the sentiment was strong in areas which have little association with coastal fishing.

PM’s plans ‘blown out of the water’ just 19 days before key EU summit

Despite the Government denying that anything has yet been agreed, it is clear from leaks from Brussels that the intention was to acquiesce to the EU’s insistence on an agreement in principle to continue current fishing arrangements on a long-term basis.

This would have meant an understanding to renew the five-and-a-half-year deal on a new multi-year deal basis, allowing the EU fleet to fish in UK waters. This is anathema to UK fishermen and it runs counter to all the other fishing deals in the world, where access to a country’s waters is agreed in annual negotiations and limits are set.

No.10’s official position

So far, No.10 has refused to discuss the various deals which are being pre-negotiated prior to the Prime Minister’s ‘Great EU Reset Summit’, saying they "will not give a running commentary". We know from leaks from Brussels that the EU is demanding agreements in principle on a wide variety of issues. Fishing (and access to UK waters) has been one of the ones most mentioned, as we have previously reported.

Not only does the EU want similar access to that provided under the current agreement, it actually wants a greater share in some cases and – wholly unacceptable to the fishermen - the EU wants a multi-year framework instead of the customary annual arrangements which exist in the rest of the world.

Fishing is ‘the finger in the dyke wall’

Fishing is just one of many areas where the EU has been lining up draconian demands of the Prime Minister, knowing how much he has now invested in his ‘great reset’ and how keen he will be to show some success. Other areas are likely to meet stiff opposition in the UK and we will be reporting on these.

For now, though, fishing is once again the totemic issue – exactly as Facts4EU predicted it would be. This is why we helped fishermen set up The UK Fisheries Campaign (UKFC) which has captured the public’s imagination.

© The UK Fisheries Campaign 2025

This Campaign is growing daily and we urge all Facts4EU readers to join it. Please click on the image above. It is still possible to take out a Standard Membership at 50% off and we know the UKFC is desperately trying to raise a sufficient war-chest to take on the Government. Even if you don’t join you can still make a one-off donation and it all helps!

[ Sources: Scottish Fishermen's Federation | Scottish Parliament | The UK Fisheries Campaign ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Thurs 01 May Apr 2025

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