Business, Freight News

Freeports are haven for tax evaders, says union man

[ July 2, 2019   //   Chris ]

A leading trade unionist has lambasted the two Conservative party candidates for their support of freeports, saying that they could turn the UK “into a haven for tax evaders and money launderers”.

TSSA general secretary, Manuel Cortes says that both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have indicated support for controversial freeports in the east coast of the UK.

He says that freeports have been strongly criticised by the European Union for facilitating tax evasion and money laundering.

Cortes said: “Both these empty vessel candidates have revealed their true Brexit intentions with their backing of freeports – they are trying to turn our country into a tax haven.

“To no one’s surprise the Tories and the alt-Right want us to leave the EU in order to create a totally deregulated low tax economy which would decimate the rights of working people and the economy at large.”

The British Ports Association (BPA) recently called for more vision on the future of freeports in its response to a study by the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) think tank.. It said that many of the customs advantages of freeports can already be achieved with routine permissions and calls instead for ports to be granted special planning and development status to stimulate economic activity.

 

Tags: TSSA; Brexit