Private Eye and Teesside freeport

[weemoby]

Private Eye has had many snippets about the "government's flagship Teesside freeport", but this week's issue has gone one step further and it has a whole 3-page spread about it.

I've yet to read it fully, but the introduction to their Tees Feeport Special Report states:

"The government's flagship Teesside freeport, which was meant to showcase Boris Johnson's levelling up agenda and the potential of post-Brexit Britain, has led to the enrichment of a few at the expense of democratic controls."

Ouch!

 

[Zoophonic]

Private Eye is an absolute beacon highlighting the cacophony of sleaze that is emanating from this government.

The Boris Johnson Cabinet Whatsapp group column has been inspired. Looks like they are drafting in Philomena Cunk to be Liz Truss going forward.

 

[weemoby]

Private Eye is an absolute beacon highlighting the cacophony of sleaze that is emanating from this government.

The Boris Johnson Cabinet Whatsapp group column has been inspired. Looks like they are drafting in Philomena Cunk to be Liz Truss going forward.

The only two things I subscribe to are Private Eye and Viz .

They are so very different, yet so alike in many ways.

 

[Billy69_uk]

"The government's flagship Teesside freeport, which was meant to showcase Boris Johnson's levelling up agenda and the potential of post-Brexit Britain, has led to the enrichment of a few at the expense of democratic controls."

Ouch!

you dont say?

Who could have seen that coming?

 

[Cardiffdaffs]

There is also this article from the Observer last Sunday which points to the dredging of the Tees for the Freeport producing a toxic water for sea life.

‘We just want the truth’: British coastal towns fight for answers over mystery sealife deaths

Question mark over freeport in Tees Valley after ecological disaster puts communities in the north east of England at loggerheads with the government

www.theguardian.com

 

[Anton_Berg]

Surely the issue is the longstanding danger of disturbing toxic stuff. With or without a Freeport, there may be a need to dredge if the port is to continue.

 

[SmallTown]

Surely the issue is the longstanding danger of disturbing toxic stuff. With or without a Freeport, there may be a need to dredge if the port is to continue.

That and all the corruption, tax dodging, erosion of workers rights and rich getting richer

 

[Anton_Berg]

...all the corruption, tax dodging, erosion of workers rights and rich getting richer

that took place at the same time as the polluting, between 100 and 150 years ago.

 

[BlindBoyGrunt]

Surely the issue is the longstanding danger of disturbing toxic stuff. With or without a Freeport, there may be a need to dredge if the port is to continue.

I've been thinking along those lines too. Freeport or not, we do want the port to expand and we do need to attract more industry to the area. The building of a new quay for the offshore wind farm industry is good news. The jury is still out over whether the dredging has caused the death of the crustaceans but we need some balance here too. The sealife will recover so do we need to protect a few fishing jobs at the expense of the port's future when fishing employes very few people on fairly low wages for what they do?

 

[SmallTown]

that took place at the same time as the polluting, between 100 and 150 years ago.

Oh, did we have Freeport's then? So it ISN'T a brexit "benefit"


Interesting that you seem happy with the reintroduction of something we had eradicated. I bet you're ecstatic we got polio back too.

 

[BlindBoyGrunt]

Oh, did we have Freeport's then? So it ISN'T a brexit "benefit"


Interesting that you seem happy with the reintroduction of something we had eradicated. I bet you're ecstatic we got polio back too.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that political or economic corruption ever went away.

 

[Cardiffdaffs]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that political or economic corruption ever went away.

It is certainly resurfacing with a bang in the last 4 years

 

[SmallTown]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that political or economic corruption ever went away.

I think, in fact, I know from previous posting history, that Anton is trying to deflect from the dramatic increase in it after Brexit

 

[BoroFur]

I think, in fact, I know from previous posting history, that Anton is trying to deflect from the dramatic increase in it after Brexit

Yeah he's a massive Tory is Anton.

 

[Massimo's Header]

Can we stop talking about Brexit on this thread. There are plenty of other opportunities on other threads.
The issues in the article should be of concern to everyone, however you voted on Brexit.

The Private Eye piece alludes to sharp business practices. The article points out how the land, the associated grants and contracts have been bought, sold and carved up between a small group of people. It also highlights the lack of any meaningful oversight. Well worth a read.

 

[Osboro]

Just dropped on my mat, looking forward to a read,

 

[Corcaigh_the_Cat]

that took place at the same time as the polluting, between 100 and 150 years ago.

It doesn't need to be repeated, unless your ideas of the way forward for society is to take us back that far. Which actually might not be far from the truth for right wingers.

 

[kuepper]

Wonder if Andrew Orlowski is behind any of the snippets.......he's a Boro fan and journo who used to get stuff published in the Eye way back, he now writes a Monday business column in the Telegraph so maybe has access to a fair bit of inside info. Worth following on twitter

 

[Norman_Conquest]

That and all the corruption, tax dodging, erosion of workers rights and rich getting richer

Didn't you say you voted conservative to help with your tax or am I making that up?

I am sure I read something last year or earlier this year with Mary Lannigan (R&C Council Leader) complaining that the council or local businesses weren't given the chance to have their noses in the trough.

 

[SmallTown]

Didn't you say you voted conservative to help with your tax or am I making that up?

I am sure I read something last year or earlier this year with Mary Lannigan (R&C Council Leader) complaining that the council or local businesses weren't given the chance to have their noses in the trough.

You are making that up. Don't worry, it's a common lie about me. Well done you for turning this debate into another attack. You trolls work hard