George Monbiot (Welcome to the freeport, where turbocapitalism tramples over British democracy, 17 August) seems to have completely misunderstood the latest iteration of freeports. It’s not my place to defend government policies, but, as a member of the advisory panel he mentions, I’d suggest that the new model of freeports is being promoted to create investment and jobs, not to endanger people’s lives or encourage criminality.
These are not mysterious zones for criminals that have torn up environmental rules but an attempt to drive growth in often forgotten about coastal regions by creating the conditions for long-term stable investment. The tools packaged up in a freeport’s armoury attempt to overcome many of the barriers to infrastructure projects and growth, and to speed up development.
