SNP mentions'‘fishing' 27 times and 'independence' only eight times in manifesto

Opposition leader claimed Nicola Sturgeon was 'fooling no one'

Ms Sturgeon was accused of 'hiding' from mentioning independence in her speech (Reuters)

Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of “tricking” voters by watering down references to independence in her speech and manifesto.

In the SNP manifesto, independence is only mentioned eight times, and the party promised to only hold another referendum once it had explained how Scotland could still remain part of the European Union.

The fishing industry was the only specific concern to be named in the manifesto's relatively small section - point number 10 - about independence and Scotland's future role in the EU.

In the whole document, “fishing” was mentioned more than 25 times while "independence" was only mentioned eight times.

"Fishing" was also written about more than "schools", "education" or "health care".

The SNP could not be immediately reached for comment.

Ms Sturgeon wants a second referendum on independence between 2018 and 2019 to give Scottish people a voice on the Brexit deal, but Prime Minister Theresa May said “now was not the time”.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said: “Nicola Sturgeon tried her usual trick today of trying to ignore independence in her speech but making sure she's pushing for it in her manifesto. Nobody is fooled anymore.”

According to a paper called UK Sea Fisheries Statistics as of 30 November last year, fishing makes up 0.5 per cent of UK GDP and employs around 20,000 people, numbers which have declined over the past few decades.

The industry produced £604 million to gross value added (GVA) in the UK in 2015.

“We will continue, in all circumstances, to demand the scrapping or fundamental reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and support Scottish control of Scottish fisheries, as we have done for many years,” the SNP manifesto read.

“We will also oppose any attempt by the UK government to treat the fishing industry as a bargaining chip. Having sold out fishing as ‘expendable’ on the way in to the EU, a Tory government must not be allowed to betray it again on the way out.”

The same industry was mentioned more than 40 times in Ukip's manifesto, and fewer than 10 times in the Conservatives' and Labour's manifestos.

Ian Gatt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, told The Independent that the industry also includes the servicing of boats, including the nets, engines, food, and it was “hugely important” for coastal communities.

“The other aspect is it is a highly political issue with fishermen,” he said.

“They have been very vocal in making their views known that they don’t want to be part of the European Union or the Common Fisheries Policy.”

Asked his view on whether the SNP was focusing on the industry because it was male-dominated and appealed to a certain voter base, he replied: “By the nature of it, our industry is male dominated, we’re not very proud of it: it's dirty, hard work, dangerous conditions, but I think that’s [question is] over analysing it a bit.”

The SNP won 56 of the 59 seats in Scotland in the 2015 general election.

The party is expected to sweep the floor again, despite polls suggesting it is likely to lose some of them.

Further pledges in the SNP manifesto include a plan for additional NHS spending that would increase the health budget in Scotland by up to an extra £1 billion, a call to abolish the two-child cap and the so-called rape clause, backing for the triple lock on pensions and support for a UK-wide increase in the higher rate of taxation from 45p to 50p.