Kemi Badenoch warns Keir Starmer's Brexit surrender deal will 'kill' fishing businesses

Kemi Badenoch has challenged Keir Starmer to visit fishermen who fear his new trade deal with the EU will "kill" their businesses. The Prime Minister has faced widespread anger over his Brexit "surrender" because it allows European vessels access to British waters until 2038.

Existing access was due to end next year as part of a post-Brexit agreement, until Sir Keir agreed to a 12 year extension. Opponents of the new settlement - which Sir Keir announced on Monday - believe it will largely benefit French fishermen, and that the extension was granted in exchange for closer trade, food and farming trade ties.

Speaking in Bridlington, east Yorkshire, the Tory leader said that fisherman she met said they felt "forgotten" by the Government.

"They've been telling me that Keir Starmer does not understand what they are going through. They could not believe it.

"They said they woke up one day and just heard that fishing rights have been given to Europe for 12 years," she said.

Mrs Badenoch said some fishermen she met felt their children did not want to work in the industry.

"They cannot find staff. People would rather work at Tesco or be binmen than work on these vessels. And someone has to speak up for them. That's why I'm here," she said.

Asked what her message to Sir Keir was, the Conservative leader said: "I will tell him that he needs to come here and listen to the fishermen who I've just spoken to. They say this deal is going to kill them.

"They hate the fact that people think that they're just a small industry that can just be pushed to the side.

"No one, from their perspective, is looking out for them."

Ministers have insisted the deal will give fishermen certainty for the future, because of the 12-year agreement.

Sir Keir earlier this week hit out at the "myth that next year everybody was free to do what they like" if he had not extended the fishing deal.

The Conservatives have said the Government should have pushed for yearly negotiations on European access.

Fishing was arguably the most controversial part of Sir Keir's new deal and sparked the biggest cries of betrayal.

Reform UK's Nigel Farage has warned the 12-year fishing deal would be "the end of the fishing industry".

Scottish First Minister John Swinney said the Government has "surrendered" fishing in its deal, and that it shows Scotland is an "afterthought" in decision making.

The Scottish Fishermen's Federation branded the UK-EU deal a "horror show" for the sector.

Under a deal struck by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021, Britain will have seized back 25% of catching rights in its waters that were surrendered to EU trawlers before the 2016 Brexit vote.

The UK's fishing industry had hoped this transfer of power would continue when the deal ends in June 2026 - or that the UK would seize back control over 100% of its waters.

But Sir Keir has agreed that the EU can keep 75% of its pre-Brexit catch until 2038, rather than continue to gradually take back control of UK waters following Brexit.

UK negotiators apparently caved in after the EU put 11th-hour demands on the table on Sunday.

They played hardball by warning Sir Keir that he would only secure his key demand that trading barriers are relaxed with the bloc indefinitely if he agreed to current fishing rights being extended.

After last-minute wrangling, both sides agreed on 12 years.

The scale of the deal blindsided UK fishing organisations because ministers had previously indicated they were only prepared to allow an extension of no more than four years.

However, the ban on exporting certain shellfish to the Continent - such as clams, mussels and oysters - has been lifted.

Jittery ministers have announced a £360million fund to help appease furious coastal communities.