Brexit: Fish dumped in River Thames in bizarre protest

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage and controversial MP Jacob Rees-Mogg were among pro-Brexit politicians who joined a bizarre protest on the River Thames earlier today which culminated in the dumping of dozens of dead haddock into the water.

The display was organised by the hard-Brexit pressure group The European Research Group, which is headed by Rees-Mogg, and Fishing for Leave, in protest at the announcement the Government would adhere to the Common Fisheries Policy during the transition period of Brexit.

Senior Conservatives, and in particular Scottish Conservative MPs, have expressed concerns over the deal that was agreed with the EU, which will see Britain not begin to ‘take back control’ of fisheries policy until at least 2021.

The Kent fishing boat took to the Thames today for the fish throwing stunt, in bizarre scenes reminiscent of the clashes between two rival floatillas, one led by Farage and the other by Bob Geldof, in the lead up to the Brexit referendum.

Mr Rees-Mogg told reporters: “We hope that things will change. We need to ensure that we have a vibrant fishing community and we want to make sure that it survives to the end of the implementation period to benefit from our being free of the tyranny of the European Union.”

The Surrey MP launched the protest from Westminster embankment, but didn’t actually board the vessel.

Aberdeen South MP Ross Thomson, who voted Leave, was in attendance but did not appear to take part in the haddock-throwing stunt itself, despite a pre-event press release that said he would.