Boris Johnson

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Boris Johnson backs tax cuts for Bristol Port – six weeks after owners made £25k donation to his campaign

The former London mayor has 'fired the starting gun' on setting-up 'free ports' in the UK after Brexit.

 

The owners of Bristol Port donated £25,000 to Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign only six weeks before he backed a tax-cutting incentive that could massively boost the port’s profits.

Mr Johnson on Friday endorsed a report calling for Singapore-style tax-free trade zones at ports across the country, with Bristol mentioned as one of those that could benefit should a post-Brexit pilot scheme prove successful.

The ex-mayor of London said he was “firing the starting gun on free ports for Britain”.

The concept would be easier to deliver once outside of Brussels customs union rules that demand European Union members apply the same import tariffs.

 

The creation of so-called “free ports” would allow the city’s port to operate outside of the UK’s customs regime, meaning taxes on imports would not apply, allowing port chiefs to save vast amounts in taxes, given the majority of trade into the ports comes from goods arriving into the city.

Free ports can also offer other tax breaks, including waiving business rates and giving companies in the free zones five to 10 years holidays from paying national insurance contributions for employees.

In the report highlighted by the Tory leadership front runner, it claimed there could be at least six free ports established across the UK after Brexit, including in Bristol.

 

It said “an aeronautics cluster at Bristol port, exploiting existing linkages across the Midlands” could be set-up, along with similar facilities in the Tees Valley, Liverpool, Hull, Grimsby and Belfast, in a bid to make Britain an attractive trade proposition after leaving the European Union.

The feasibility report – commissioned by Ben Houchen, Conservative mayor of Teesside – said free ports across the country could create 70,500 extra jobs and provide a £4.2bn contribution to GDP after 25 years.

The endorsement of the idea, which is popular among free-market Tories, comes only six weeks after Mr Johnson’s campaign to be prime minister received a £25,000 donation from the Bristol Port Company.

 

The former foreign secretary accepted the five-figure payment from First Corporate Shipping, which trades as the Bristol Port Company, on 22 May, according to BuzzFeed News .

Mr Johnson’s team denies any wrong doing.

A spokesman said: “The donation was transparently declared – there was nothing untoward.”

First Corporate Shipping also donated £25,000 to Jeremy Hunt’s leadership campaign.

The former health secretary has opened the door to looking at expanding the role of free trade zones in Britain but has been less effusive than his rival.

 

One of Mr Hunt's key allies, Dr Liam Fox, Trade Secretary and MP for North Somerset, is known to privately be supportive of free ports. He is also a close friend of senior figures at Bristol Port, parts of which are in his constituency.

The Bristol Port Company was formed in 1991 when businessmen Terence Mordaunt and David Ord bought the Port of Bristol from Bristol City Council.

It has talked regularly about the opportunities it sees with Brexit, especially with the chance to trade more with America.

 

Bristol Port’s trade is 66 per cent non-EU and is mainly an importing facility. The port does not handle food for human consumption or deal with roll-off, roll-on traffic like Dover.

It employs 550 people directly, there are nearly 9,000 people working at the site and nearly 20,000 jobs across the UK depend on the port.

A spokesman for the port said in January that the company did not see leaving the EU as a “threat”.

“We expect activity levels to increase in the years ahead – whatever the final Brexit outcome. Bristol Port sees Brexit as an opportunity not a threat,” said the company spokesman.

“The one thing that Brexit cannot change is our geography and we strongly believe our west coast gateway will enable us to thrive and flourish in the post-Brexit trading climate.

 

Mr Johnson, who is currently on a tour around the UK meeting Tory members in tandem with his rival Jeremy Hunt, has confirmed he will look to give the green light to free port pilot projects after October 31 to determine whether they are worth pursuing. Teesside is currently in pole position to be offered the pilot.

Endorsing the proposals, Mr Johnson said: “I welcome this well-written report”. He added: “Taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by leaving the EU on 31 October to introduce free ports is an excellent way to boost businesses and trade.”

A government led by Mr Johnson would “consider specific candidate sites,” his campaign team said.

The Bristol Port Company has been approached for comment.

 

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/boris-johnson-backs-tax-cuts-3061324?fbclid=IwAR36j2gxVzceQbnp9h9ybClN4N-FYcek_ZViXSDEfntgX2S6FgmNDV-D4Ak

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Boris held up a Kipper at Hustings claiming he'd free the UK from EU bureaucracy. Unfortunately for the lying looney pound land Trump, the rules he was banging on about were British. 

 

 

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

17 minutes ago, Pistonbroke said:

Boris held up a Kipper at Hustings claiming he'd free the UK from EU bureaucracy. Unfortunately for the lying looney pound land Trump, the rules he was banging on about were British. 

 

 

Remind me again, which one is the kipper?

[sir roger]

The thing I don’t understand at all , and putting to one side his repellent views and actions , is the MSM-led general view that to the public he is a likeable guy.

 

He comes across as oafish and a complete arse who would have you moving to a different pub before he had the chance to knock your ale over.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

1 hour ago, sir roger said:

The thing I don’t understand at all , and putting to one side his repellent views and actions , is the MSM-led general view that to the public he is a likeable guy.

 

He comes across as oafish and a complete arse who would have you moving to a different pub before he had the chance to knock your ale over.

 

It say a lot about the public in general mate. Johnson is just a repulsive twat who hides behind a shit unfunny character, yet a lot of folk lap up his buffoonery.  

[lifetime fan]

33 minutes ago, Pistonbroke said:

 

It say a lot about the public in general mate. Johnson is just a repulsive twat who hides behind a shit unfunny character, yet a lot of folk lap up his buffoonery.  

 

See ‘man of the people’ Farage. 

[Marko121]

What got under my skin with the kipper thing yesterday is that he knew it was a load of shit, just like the message on the bus, he knew full well he was lying. 

Politicians nowadays don’t even pretend anymore, people like Johnson don’t even try to pull the wool over your eyes, they just blatantly lie and, like Trump, his base will lap it up, take it as gospel and nobody calls the fucker out cos he just blusters and talks more shite. 

[sir roger]

1 hour ago, Marko121 said:

What got under my skin with the kipper thing yesterday is that he knew it was a load of shit, just like the message on the bus, he knew full well he was lying. 

Politicians nowadays don’t even pretend anymore, people like Johnson don’t even try to pull the wool over your eyes, they just blatantly lie and, like Trump, his base will lap it up, take it as gospel and nobody calls the fucker out cos he just blusters and talks more shite. 

I doubt he even understood / understands the complexities of such issues , he probably heard this load of guff from somebody & thought it would make a great visual at his speech without even bothering to check the veracity of it.

 

The overall impression I get from comments from people who know him is that of somebody who speaks before he thinks anything through & soon gets bored with topics and moves on. If it were anybody normal  I am sure they  would be described as thick as mince and a bit of a dickhead , but it appears with Johnson it is laughed off as him 'Not doing detail'.

[Vincent Vega]

1 hour ago, Marko121 said:

What got under my skin with the kipper thing yesterday is that he knew it was a load of shit, just like the message on the bus, he knew full well he was lying. 

Politicians nowadays don’t even pretend anymore, people like Johnson don’t even try to pull the wool over your eyes, they just blatantly lie and, like Trump, his base will lap it up, take it as gospel and nobody calls the fucker out cos he just blusters and talks more shite. 

Apparently he was put up to it by the Daily Express who handed him the kipper and fed him the bullshit about the EU.

 

This twat is going to be PM next week:

 

 

[magicrat]

Someone said yesterday Boris Johnson is what you get when you send Donald Trump to Eton.  Bang on

[Guest Pistonbroke]

The EU and other World leaders will run rings around him. 

 

[Davelfc]

Elected leader of the cunts, hopefully he takes them down. 

[Davelfc]

[Guest Pistonbroke]

It'll be hard to find him as he'll be that far up Trump's arse. 
 

How long before he puts his foot in it by saying something ill thought out? I'll give it less than a week. 

 

Fucking madness that a twat like him can become Prime minister despite being sacked from various jobs and a compulsive fucking liar. 

 

 

[Guest Pistonbroke]

His first speech...fucking hell, he's lying already. 

 

The cunt thinks he's Winston Churchill. 

[Elite]

I think he's a role model to every child.

 

No matter how stupid, irresponsible, dishonest, crude you are, you can become the leader of the country. 

[Nolongerathletic]

Disaster...horrible bastard...

 

Can do what he likes, full focus on NO deal and blame the EU...

[Babb'sBurstNad]

[Jairzinho]

Well I, for one, hope he has a thoroughly enjoyable first day in office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then is gang raped to death by orangutans tomorrow.

[Baltar]

Surreal. This country has truly entered the most bizarre period in living memory. 

[Davelfc]

17 minutes ago, Baltar said:

Surreal. This country has truly entered the most bizarre period in living memory. 

We often follow the trends that we see in the US.

[Stickman]

Loving the way political commentators like Ian Dunt are going ape shit over Johnson being PM so are dragging up his lies and deceit but at the same time calling out "Corbynistas" as childish and grotesque for dragging up Jo Swinson's abhorrent voting record 

[pauliescouse]

I am terrified of where this cunt will lead the UK.

 

His policy will make my life considerably more difficult, my only grace is next year I can apply for a Spanish passport and get rid of the toxic UK one, but I really fear what path this xenophobic moron will follow. I dunno, maybe he will surprise everyone and pivot, but I very much doubt it.

[mattyq]

He is a grade A mega turbo cunt

[pauliescouse]

"United Kingston"