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“Leith 'prime candidate' to become 'greenport' as Scottish Government announces”

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/leith-prime-candidate-become-greenport-scottish-government-announces-its-own-version-freeports-3108981

    “We will take the UK’s freeport model and apply Scotland’s values and priorities to it, so that it meets our ambition to deliver a net zero economy and uphold the highest standards of environmental protections and fair work practices. Scotland will turn freeports into sustainable, fair, greenports.”

    That’s alright then...

    Posted 3 years ago #
  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I think this may be the point where we can say with certainty that the shuttle craft has lost contact with the mother ship.

    The UK government was not able to declare freeports in Scotland without the co-operation of the Scottish Government because some aspects of the nodel (sic) are devolved.

    Have these journalists been asleep for the last four years?

    Posted 3 years ago #
  3. Morningsider
    Member

    A Living Wage tax haven!? "Green" regulations in a de-regulated zone? "Scottish values"?

    Given that pubs are shut there really is no excuse for this sort of thing.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  4. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @Morningsider

    Coke dealers are still open. I maintain that cocaine explains a lot of the past decade.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  5. chdot
    Admin

    I still don’t really understand the point of ‘free ports’.

    Basically it’s a subsidy to attract ‘investment’ that (Govs hope) will create direct jobs and some service work spin-offs.

    In general if it works, (and avoids the dangers - “Mr McKee told MSPs freeports were associated with concerns about deregulation and the risks of criminality, tax evasion and a reductions in workers’ rights”), it’s likely to just move jobs from elsewhere.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  6. toomanybikes
    Member

    Nodel (nordle) is the codename for hashish in Mr Nice is it not? It makes a lot of sense through that lens.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  7. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2021/01/22/scotland-is-going-to-get-its-own-version-of-sleazeports/

    Added dimension that this is at odds with SNP party conference resolutions.

    You have to wonder exactly who's bidding Mr McKee is doing.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  8. Morningsider
    Member

    @IWRATS - The Scottish Government ran a consultation that was only open for one month, Nov/Dec 2020. SG consultations normally last 12 weeks. There were only 39 responses - none from any individuals, the majority from businesses, local authorities and business groups.

    Nothing illegal about a short consultation period, or it attracting just a few responses. No press release was issued about the consultation, so I wonder if respondents were tapped-up. Again, all perfectly legal. You want interested parties to know about a consultation.

    The quick and quiet nature of this consultation, on something that requires neither speed nor secrecy, is unusual though.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  9. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Um yes, so very interesting that Leith is at the front of the queue for McDubaification but the only Leith-based respondent was Forth Ports.

    Leith is not short of Leith-based community groups who might be interested in knowing about changes in planning and tax in the 'hood. That none of them are listed as responding does make me wonder what these oddballs are up to.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  10. gembo
    Member

    @morningsider I always admire your clarity of thought. I do wish others in National and local govt would apply your rubrics.

    For example on FOIs instead of employing the Offdeskism I had yesterday why did my colleague not just respond to the request by saying We do not hold this information?

    Similarly with the need for consultations there should be a slide rule to determine whether it should be minimal or require more processes.

    The Mighty Skelf consulted widely and were still met by waste ground loving nimby dug walkers with We have not been consulted.

    Though I do accept the unreasonableness of the Vogon Captain when he informed the earthlings that the plans for destroying the world for a space Highway had been widely available for many years on Alpha Centauri.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  11. chdot
    Admin

  12. chdot
    Admin

    Announcement tomorrow apparently.

    The Scottish Government insists the green freeport plans in Scotland will have decarbonisation and fair work at the heart of their approach.

    Yet what are freeports and why are there disagreements between Scottish Greens and SNP around them?

    https://www.scotsman.com/business/consumer/what-is-a-freeport-where-will-the-green-freeports-in-scotland-be-and-what-is-the-criticism-3567273?amp

    NOTE DATE -

    Decision due

    Cromarty and Forth tipped to win freeport bid

    Terry Murden, Editor

    November 28, 2022

    https://dailybusinessgroup.co.uk/2022/11/cromarty-and-forth-tipped-to-win-freeport-bid/

    Posted 1 year ago #
  13. chdot
    Admin

  14. acsimpson
    Member

    Given the Airport is involved I'm inclined to agree that this looks like greenwashing.

    Posted 1 year ago #
  15. chdot
    Admin

    Greenwashing might be polite.

    Maybe a good time to start a bike manufacturing business…

    (Or sometime in the next 22 years?)

    The sites have been jointly selected by the Scottish and UK governments following what was described as a “rigorous assessment and selection process”.

    The two winning bids will be supported by up to £52 million in start-up funding and will benefit from tax reliefs and other incentives.

    The applicants had to demonstrate how they would contribute towards a just transition to net zero emissions by 2045 and create new, green jobs.

    https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/green-freeports-forth-and-cromarty-firth-announced-as-freeport-sites-in-boost-for-edinburgh-fife-falkirk-and-inverness-3985648

    Posted 1 year ago #
  16. Morningsider
    Member

    What always amazes me is the junk figures attached to these schemes. The claim is the Forth scheme will "generate 50,000 jobs". That is more than NHS Lothian (26,000) the Council (14,700) and the Scottish Government (8,800 - national figure) combined. It is 1.4% of Scotland's working age population. Does nobody in power every stop and think "Hmmm, seems unlikely. I wonder how they worked that out?"

    Posted 1 year ago #
  17. chdot
    Admin

    “Hmmm, seems unlikely. I wonder how they worked that out?"

    Too often. Usually with ‘how many new jobs - not just transfers or replacements’ - eg supermarkets replacing other shops.

    The added ‘how many will be full time, not zero hours/min wage’ is just too hard to divine/guesstimate!

    The success of the Forth Green Freeport bid will boost the Council’s green redevelopment of the coastline and help the city work towards zero carbon emissions by 2030, says Council Leader Cammy Day.

    https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/news/article/13629/forth-green-freeport-win-will-drive-forward-net-zero-goals-and-tap-into-the-capital-s-coastal-ambitions-says-edinburgh-s-council-leader

    Posted 1 year ago #
  18. chdot
    Admin

    Are the full bid documents available or just sanitised because of ‘commercial confidentiality’?

    Not everyone happy of course…

    If politicians allow the prize of becoming a global green energy hub to slip away from the north-east, they will never be forgiven, writes Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce’s Ryan Crighton.

    https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/opinion/5266387/cromarty-firth-freeport-aberdeen-snub-ryan-crighton-opinion/

    Shameful decision to ignore the West of Scotland yet again and not approve the Glasgow and district Green Freeport bid. Massive industry, state of the art research and manufacturing, incredible infrastructure, blue chip companies and a skilled workforce. Utterly shameful.

    https://twitter.com/gbc123/status/1613889181352353792

    Posted 1 year ago #
  19. jdanielp
    Member

    Guess who replied to a disappointed Tweet by Green Councillor Alys Mumford about this to blame the SNP/Green Government? https://twitter.com/AlysGreens/status/1613865200523874305

    Posted 1 year ago #
  20. chdot
    Admin

    “Guess who replied“

    FAR too difficult…

    Posted 1 year ago #
  21. chdot
    Admin

    It would be nice if any/all of this was/will be true.

    But such certainty punted by a respectable institution is disappointing/worrying.

    We back the vision for a Forth Green Freeport which will deliver 50,000 new green jobs in areas of deprivation and support Scotland on its path to a just transition to net zero by 2045. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ForthGreenFreeport…

    #BackForthGreenFreeport @forthports

    https://twitter.com/heriotwattuni/status/1613902799846227968?

    Posted 1 year ago #
  22. chdot
    Admin

    Mmmm

    So

    Not 50k around the Forth…

    Background

    The Forth Green Freeport bid aspires to deliver up to an additional 50,000 jobs across the UK,

    https://www.gov.scot/news/green-freeports/

    Posted 1 year ago #
  23. chdot
    Admin

  24. chdot
    Admin

  25. neddie
    Member

    “Freeports” and “tax havens” all made to sound positive and good.

    We should call them “lawless ports” and “tax evasion ports” instead. These ports will deprive the NHS, schools, etc of funds. Make no mistake

    Posted 1 year ago #
  26. chdot
    Admin

    Now scottories saying 75k jobs

    https://twitter.com/scottories/status/1614208261959389184

    Posted 1 year ago #
  27. Frenchy
    Member

    Now scottories saying 75k jobs

    That's the 50k figure from the Forth one, plus 25k from the Cromarty one.

    Not saying the numbers are correct, but they are consistent.

    Posted 1 year ago #
  28. chdot
    Admin

    Ok, so this is completely wrong or I’m misunderstanding something?

    Background

    The Forth Green Freeport bid aspires to deliver up to an additional 50,000 jobs across the UK,

    https://www.gov.scot/news/green-freeports/

    Posted 1 year ago #
  29. chdot
    Admin

    Or maybe it’s right and the aspirational jobs could be and be counted as anywhere in the UK?

    Or am I still missing something??

    Posted 1 year ago #
  30. gembo
    Member

    Up to is the key word

    Will be zero

    Is fat cats

    Is Tartan tories

    Sad.

    Posted 1 year ago #

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