The Chronicle

Protestors’ no-deal Brexit fears

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A PROTEST was held at the Angel of the North urging the Government to extend the Brexit transition period.

Campaigner­s held the demonstrat­ion following news more than 250 jobs were at risk at Gateshead firm De La Rue.

The company announced plans to axe the site’s banknote and UK passport printing operations - two years after it lost the contract to print the new UK passports, having printed them for 10 years.

The Government assigned future printing of the new blue passports to Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto - work which has since been outsourced to Poland.

The Unite union, which represents the workforce at the factory, is urging the company to reconsider the move which puts 255 skilled workers at risk of redundancy.

Yesterday, campaigner­s arrived at the Angel of the North and displayed a number of placards and posters highlighti­ng fears about the potential for more job losses in the region and damage to the economy as a result of a no-deal Brexit.

The group called for the Government to extend the transition period to stop a no-deal scenario.

Spokespers­on Kim Sanderson said:: “The Government officially confirmed last week it will not be seeking an extension to the transition period.

“This greatly increases the risk of a no-deal Brexit.

“Whichever way you voted in the EU referendum, it was not to lose your job or be worse off. In the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak, it would be much more sensible to extend to prevent such a no-deal scenario. Let us only deal with one crisis at a time.”

 ??  ?? Protesters at the Angel of the North calling for an extension to the transition period for Brexit. Pictured is Louise Brown
Protesters at the Angel of the North calling for an extension to the transition period for Brexit. Pictured is Louise Brown

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