Whatever Liz Truss says about freeports today, their greatest benefit is to tax abusers and, worse still, organised crime

Posted on October 7 2020

Liz Truss is, apparently, out and about, promoting freeports today.

I recently submitted a fairly lengthy comment to the Government's consultation on the creation of new Freeport in the UK, suggesting that it was almost impossible to identify any benefits that might arise from this proposal, whilst there were plenty of downsides to all-too-easily spot. This video builds on the ideas in that submission, pointing all the issues (including opportunities for the facilitation of crime) that such arrangements usually provide:

I wrote more on this issue in July.

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4 Responses

mike dun says:

October 7 2020 at 2:10 pm

In 1759 The Commissioners of Irish Customs wrote to the English Treasury that smuggling to and from the Isle of Man can only be prevented when the Island is subject to British Customs control.
The reform is a long time coming.
prentii says:

October 7 2020 at 4:53 pm

Thanks Richard.

Alas ideology trumps all.

But it it still good to publish the counter arguments.
Pilgrim Slight Return says:

October 8 2020 at 7:08 am

As Truss is a dyed in the wool Neo-Liberal, a lot of this will go right over her little head.

‘Little’ because of her neo-liberalism – not because she is a woman of course. In fact neo-liberalism has the same affects on men and women.
Alistair Ogilvie says:

October 8 2020 at 10:27 am

This is the brexit project.

I urge all to begin to learn about about Shankar Singham and his influence on post brexit economic thinking. They want a network of FreePorts and e cities around the world. These places will create an alternative power center within the countries and regions they will operate in. The ultimate purpose will be to weaken the nation state perhaps even to destroy the nation state so that the individual can be free of the obligations of citizenship.

We should no longer think this could never happen they way us leaving Europe could never happen. This is the revolution they want. To destroy the nation state so that we are all customers of business providing the services a state would. The free marketers and libertarianism dream. It’s repulsive.

As much as we discuss what we are leaving behind, we need to start discussing where they want to take us. Fish and lorry parks are a distraction. Free ports and eCities. As always brexit was just about money. With an 80 seat majority this is happening.

My hope is that events will overwhelm them and that their incompetence and arrogance will destroy them but we need to start getting to grips with their dream to begin to counter it.

Thanks for the video .