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Nigel Farage EU Leave fishing flotilla sails up Thames Nigel Farage EU Leave fishing flotilla sails up Thames
(35 minutes later)
A flotilla of fishing boats is sailing up the Thames to Parliament to make the case for leaving the EU and for "reclaiming UK waters".A flotilla of fishing boats is sailing up the Thames to Parliament to make the case for leaving the EU and for "reclaiming UK waters".
The so-called armada, organised by Fishing for Leave, left the Kent port of Ramsgate early on Friday and expects to reach Westminster during Prime Minister's Questions at 12:30 BST.The so-called armada, organised by Fishing for Leave, left the Kent port of Ramsgate early on Friday and expects to reach Westminster during Prime Minister's Questions at 12:30 BST.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage is on board one of the vessels.UKIP leader Nigel Farage is on board one of the vessels.
Remain crafts backing EU membership have also taken to the water.Remain crafts backing EU membership have also taken to the water.
A handful of dinghies and other vessels bearing In flags sought to "intercept" the Leave flotilla as it passed under Tower Bridge.
Former pop star Sir Bob Geldof and broadcaster Rachel Johnson, sister of Leave supporting MP Boris Johnson, are among those on a Remain vessel - which has been playing the song "The In Crowd" over loud speakers.
There have been reports of brief, light-hearted skirmishes, including the exchange of hose fire.There have been reports of brief, light-hearted skirmishes, including the exchange of hose fire.
A group of 30 Leave boats set off before first light, stopping at Southend and Gravesend to pick up passengers. They are due to moor at the Pool of London at 11:00 BST, having passed underneath Tower Bridge. A group of 30 Leave boats set off before first light, stopping at Southend and Gravesend to pick up passengers before mooring at the Pool of London at 11:00 BST, having passed underneath Tower Bridge.
A dozen vessels have been given permission to continue on to Westminster in time for the conclusion of PMQs, the last before the referendum on EU membership on 23 June.A dozen vessels have been given permission to continue on to Westminster in time for the conclusion of PMQs, the last before the referendum on EU membership on 23 June.
Mr Farage rejected claims it was a publicity stunt, saying it was a "full-throttled protest" against what he claimed was the "destruction" of the UK's fishing industry by EU membership.Mr Farage rejected claims it was a publicity stunt, saying it was a "full-throttled protest" against what he claimed was the "destruction" of the UK's fishing industry by EU membership.
"The governing principle of the common fisheries policy is that of "equal access to a common resource"," he said. "Fish stock that should be within the UK's internationally recognised territorial waters are now shared our European partners." "There are now many harbours without a single commercial vessel...Compare and contrast all of this with Norway who control all fishing stocks up to two hundred miles within the North Sea and has a booming commercial and angling tourism industry."
"Fish stock that should be within the UK's internationally recognised territorial waters are now shared our European Partners," he said. "This has led to a 60% drop in oversized landings and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in our industry. And he claimed the counter-demonstration was "just disgusting".
"There are now many harbours without a single commercial vessel "These are communities that have been devastated. These are communities that no-one has listened to for years.
"Compare and contrast all of this with Norway who control all fishing stocks up to two hundred miles within the North Sea and has a booming commercial and angling tourism industry." "They are here today, they have taken - some of them - several days out of their working week to come and make their protest, to say 'look, we want to take back control of our seas, we want to get jobs back in this industry'.
'Protecting stocks' "To see multi-millionaires frankly mocking them is a pretty shameful sight."
A handful of dinghies and other vessels bearing In flags sought to "intercept" the flotilla as it passed under Tower Bridge.
Sir Bob Geldof and broadcaster Rachel Johnson, sister of Leave supporting MP Boris Johnson, are among those on a separate In vessel - which has been playing the song "The In Crowd" over loud speakers.
Shadow Environment Secretary Kerry McCarthy said being in the EU was good for British fishermen as it gave them access to Europe's fishing waters and their boats are able to land and sell their catch in any EU country.Shadow Environment Secretary Kerry McCarthy said being in the EU was good for British fishermen as it gave them access to Europe's fishing waters and their boats are able to land and sell their catch in any EU country.
She blamed the Conservative government for failing to ensure more smaller enterprises did not benefit from the UK's catch quota and that reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, not Brexit, was what was needed.She blamed the Conservative government for failing to ensure more smaller enterprises did not benefit from the UK's catch quota and that reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, not Brexit, was what was needed.
"To protect fish stocks and the livelihoods that depend upon them, we need a European-wide collective approach. We cannot risk a return to the bad old days where fish stocks were declining so fast that there were species on the verge of extinction.""To protect fish stocks and the livelihoods that depend upon them, we need a European-wide collective approach. We cannot risk a return to the bad old days where fish stocks were declining so fast that there were species on the verge of extinction."