There’s every reason to be sceptical about Boris Johnson’s highly touted plans for free ports

Trade experts say there’s little evidence to back claims they’ll create jobs and investment, writes James Moore

Is a tariff-free zone coming to your local port? (AFP/Getty)

Free ports? They’re a bold new way to boost trade and investment in the eyes of their Thatcherite supporters. A golden opportunity to turbocharge the “levelling up” of the deprived areas of Britain which gifted Boris Johnson his thumping majority, alongside extending high-speed rail to Leeds and Manchester.

HS2 looks likely to get the go-ahead this morning, despite the objections of a substantial number of Tory MPs, who’ve been vocally criticising the sky-high cost, not to mention the problems that will be created from the thing cutting through their constituencies. Did anyone say nimby?

But running a little ahead of that on the tracks was the launch of a free ports consultation.