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  1. Politics
  2. Brexit
21 March 2018updated 24 Jun 2021 12:24pm

The Brexiteers’ disastrous fishing protest on the Thames sums up Brexit perfectly

A botched hollow gesture with no contingency plan.

By Media Mole

In protest against the Brexit deal “betraying” fishermen, Brexiteers decided this morning to chuck some fish into the Thames.

But just in case you thought “symbolic fish dumping” by the likes of Nigel Farage was going to put you off your morning, there is a silver lining. Or liner. Because the boat they hired for the press conference didn’t ask TFL’s permission, so ringleader Jacob Rees-Mogg wasn’t allowed to board, and the boat was not permitted to dock at any pier.

Honestly, it’s as if they don’t things through, isn’t it? It’s as if they prefer grand gestures to actually planning for real-life consequences. Funny, that.

Anyway, in case you’re wondering why Tory MPs and assorted eurosceptics are flinging haddock, skate and bass from a box into the river, they’re angry at the transition deal struck by Brexit Secretary David Davis this week, because it would keep the UK in the loathed common fisheries policy (CFP) until the end of 2020.

It could lead to a Tory rebellion against the final withdrawal agreement in the Commons. But judging by their inability to organise a boat trip on a… boat, I wouldn’t be too worried if I were Theresa May.

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