To mutilate the words of PG Wodehouse, it is never difficult to distinguish between a Scottish nationalist with a grievance and a ray of sunshine. Fury is the fuel that drives the SNP, which has been in power at the Scottish parliament for 18 years. So it is hardly a surprise that First Minister John Swinney has reacted angrily to the new deal struck between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
The agreement reached between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will increase freedom of movement, create closer relationships between businesses, and increase cooperation on food standards. These are things that the SNP has been demanding ever since the UK voted, in 2016, to leave the EU. But the decision to maintain the status quo of EU fishing boats having access to UK waters until 2038 undermines all of that so far as the First Minister and his colleagues are concerned.
The SNP’s faux rage was further weakened when representatives of Scotland’s salmon industry welcomed the new deal.
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