PRIME MINISTER HAILS GRIMSBY MP LIA NICI AS ‘BRILLIANT’ CAMPAIGNER FOR FISHERIES

Easy question: Lia Nici 

                               

GRIMSBY MP Lia Nici was beaming like the cat that got the cream as she was praised by the Prime Minister in the Commons.

The PM had been subject to rigorous questioning from Labour leader Keir Starmer so he was delighted when Ms Nici provided him with a breather by submitting a soft question as below.

Lia Nici: "I welcome the Prime Minister’s rejection of the extension to the Brexit transition period. 

"Does he agree that taking back control of our fishing waters in January 2021 will benefit the fishing communities within the Great Grimsby constituency? 

Prime Minister: "I can tell my hon. Friend that it certainly will when we become once again an independent coastal state. 

"I know how brilliantly she campaigns for fisheries in Grimsby and I urge her to engage with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to make sure that the people of Grimsby can exploit the recapture of our spectacular natural marine wealth."

However, Boris Johnson’s respite was brief.

The Scottish National Party's leader in the Commons, Ian Blackford, resumed the pressure.

Ian Blackford (Ross, Skye and Lochaber): "Marcus Rashford has shown more moral leadership in tackling poverty in a matter of days than this Tory Government have in the past decade of cuts, but, as he says, people are struggling all year round and more needs to be done. 

"Will the Prime Minister now immediately uplift the child element of universal credit and child tax credit by £20 per week?

Prime Minister: "This is a Government which has done everything it  possibly can  to help families in need to make sure that nobody is penalised for doing the right thing during the crisis. 

"I know how difficult it has been. That is why we uprated the universal credit by £1,044, benefiting, I think, 4 million families in this country. 

"I say in all sincerity to the right hon. Gentleman that we are fully aware that there will be tough times ahead and we do stand by to do more where we can."

                                       

Independent coastal state: Boris Johnson

The Grimsby News says: When Ms Nici was elected, she pledged to 'shout' for Grimsby. Lobbying donkey-drop questions to the Prime Minister hardly qualifies as such. She needs to do better. Furthermore, we all know that any prolonged friction with the EU over fishing rights will inevitably end in tears - almost all of them to be shed by us. Britain does not have the capacity to police its waters, so foreign vessels will continue to fish off our shores with impunity. In such circumstances, what incentive for investment in any resumption of large-scale trawling out of Grimsby? "Recapturing our spectacular natural marine wealth" is, alas, just another Boris soundbite.