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Fisherman calls for George Eustice to resign claiming they’re ‘worse off’ than before Brexit

George Eustice in the House of Commons - Credit: Parliament Live

A leading fisherman has called for resignations over Brexit claiming that it has left the industry “worse off” than when the UK remained a member of the European Union.

Arnold Locker, chairman of the Locker Trawlers in Whitby and a former chairman of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, claimed that key Brexiteers had betrayed the fishing community.

And he claimed that pro-Brexit environment secretary George Eustice, Michael Gove and Boris Johnson “knew exactly what they were doing when they devastated coastal communities.”

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, he said: “This was billed as getting fishing back and the fleet back and our coastal communities back. If I’ve listened to George Eustice once I must have listened to him 100 times.

“We have even held meetings with Defra on how they were going to share out all the extra fish.

“What extra fish? There isn’t any. Certainly not for the port of Whitby or Scarborough. We will be worse off in January than what we were when we started as a full member of the EU.

“If George Eustice thinks that’s a good deal, I’d hate to think what he thinks is a bad deal. I think he should resign, that’s my personal opinion.”

He continued: “How do you think my fishermen, my sons feel when they are having to steam past those vessels that are getting a really good living and we can’t fish?

“You have to have a big heart to think it will change in 2026 (the end of the transition period for fishing).”

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