More Fisherman's Tales
Great work from STV News which has exposed the nonsense of Michael Gove's bogus claims about the closure of his father's fishing business.
And these clowns have the gall to complain about Project Fear.
Gove under fire over claim EU 'shut' father's fishing firm
By Aidan Kerr - STV News
An SNP MSP has accused the Conservative MP or trying to 'spin' a family story.
An SNP MSP has accused the Conservative MP or trying to 'spin' a family story.
Michael Gove: The MP says the EU put his father's business 'to the wall'. Ken McKay/ITV
Leading pro-Leave politician Michael Gove is at the centre of a row surrounding the circumstances of the demise of his father's fishing business in the 1980s.
In April, the justice secretary previously said his father's fishing business "went to the wall" due to the European Union's common fisheries polices.
Gove repeated the anecdote on Sunday on a visit to Aberdeen with the BBC.
The Conservative MP has been accused of being "caught out" over his claims by SNP MSP Gillian Martin following an interview with his father, Ernest Gove, with the Guardian.
Ernest Gove told the newspaper: "There's nothing really to go back about anyway because it just was, when Europe went into fishing, the industry more or less collapsed down and I just packed in and got a job with another firm, you know. That was all that was happening.
"That was all that was happening. It wasn't any hardship or things like that, or what you call it: I just decided to call it a day and just sold up my business and went on to work with someone else, you know."
He continued: "It wasn't because of hardship but I couldn't see any future in it, that type of thing, the business that I had, so I just said I wasn't going to go into all the trouble of going hardship, and things like that. I just decided to sell up and get a job with someone else, you know. That was all."
The subject of his father's fishing business was raised at a briefing given by Michael Gove to Scottish journalists in Glasgow on Monday.
The justice secretary described his father's business collapsing and stating the European Union's fishing policies "undeniably" had an "impact" upon the business.
Gove said: "I remember when I was a boy going down to Aberdeen harbour with my Dad and there was a thriving fish business then. The number of fish merchants, the number of people leaving from the boats in the North East has dramatically diminished.
"In the 1980s there was something like 400 boats operating out of Peterhead alone now it is only 60. I don't think anyone can deny whatever else has been going on economically the fishing industry was hit hard by the European Union and it is certainly the case in talking to my Dad.
"Of course he like anyone would take responsibility for the organisation that he led but it was undeniable the European Union and the common fisheries policy had an impact."
The Conservative MP went on to say the impact of the business closing was "significant" on him personally while at secondary school.
When pressed for further details on the business and its collapse, he declined to be drawn.
SNP MSP Gillian Martin said his father's comments show Gove "has been caught out" at attempting to "spin a tale" about his family.
Martin said: "Michael Gove has been caught out - he should call it a day on his attempts to spin a tale about his family history.
"If Mr Gove was as concerned by the plight of the Scottish fishing industry as he says, then he'd never have joined the political party that viewed it "expendable" in the first place. It's not the EU that's to blame for the difficulties of the fishing industry, but the indifference of the UK Government who sold the industry out."
A spokesman for Michael Gove tonight said Ernest Gove's business was "directly affected" by the EU's common fisheries policy.
The spokesman said: "It is well documented how the EU and the common fisheries policy destroyed the fishing industry, particularly in the north-east of Scotland.
"EE Gove and Sons was one of the companies directly affected. It closed as a result of the damage inflicted on the fishing industry by the EU."
Leading pro-Leave politician Michael Gove is at the centre of a row surrounding the circumstances of the demise of his father's fishing business in the 1980s.
In April, the justice secretary previously said his father's fishing business "went to the wall" due to the European Union's common fisheries polices.
Gove repeated the anecdote on Sunday on a visit to Aberdeen with the BBC.
The Conservative MP has been accused of being "caught out" over his claims by SNP MSP Gillian Martin following an interview with his father, Ernest Gove, with the Guardian.
Ernest Gove told the newspaper: "There's nothing really to go back about anyway because it just was, when Europe went into fishing, the industry more or less collapsed down and I just packed in and got a job with another firm, you know. That was all that was happening.
"That was all that was happening. It wasn't any hardship or things like that, or what you call it: I just decided to call it a day and just sold up my business and went on to work with someone else, you know."
He continued: "It wasn't because of hardship but I couldn't see any future in it, that type of thing, the business that I had, so I just said I wasn't going to go into all the trouble of going hardship, and things like that. I just decided to sell up and get a job with someone else, you know. That was all."
The subject of his father's fishing business was raised at a briefing given by Michael Gove to Scottish journalists in Glasgow on Monday.
The justice secretary described his father's business collapsing and stating the European Union's fishing policies "undeniably" had an "impact" upon the business.
Gove said: "I remember when I was a boy going down to Aberdeen harbour with my Dad and there was a thriving fish business then. The number of fish merchants, the number of people leaving from the boats in the North East has dramatically diminished.
"In the 1980s there was something like 400 boats operating out of Peterhead alone now it is only 60. I don't think anyone can deny whatever else has been going on economically the fishing industry was hit hard by the European Union and it is certainly the case in talking to my Dad.
"Of course he like anyone would take responsibility for the organisation that he led but it was undeniable the European Union and the common fisheries policy had an impact."
The Conservative MP went on to say the impact of the business closing was "significant" on him personally while at secondary school.
When pressed for further details on the business and its collapse, he declined to be drawn.
SNP MSP Gillian Martin said his father's comments show Gove "has been caught out" at attempting to "spin a tale" about his family.
Martin said: "Michael Gove has been caught out - he should call it a day on his attempts to spin a tale about his family history.
"If Mr Gove was as concerned by the plight of the Scottish fishing industry as he says, then he'd never have joined the political party that viewed it "expendable" in the first place. It's not the EU that's to blame for the difficulties of the fishing industry, but the indifference of the UK Government who sold the industry out."
A spokesman for Michael Gove tonight said Ernest Gove's business was "directly affected" by the EU's common fisheries policy.
The spokesman said: "It is well documented how the EU and the common fisheries policy destroyed the fishing industry, particularly in the north-east of Scotland.
"EE Gove and Sons was one of the companies directly affected. It closed as a result of the damage inflicted on the fishing industry by the EU."
