Minister criticised for blue passport comments

A senior Government minister has been criticised after saying that there was “no place for sentimentalism” in the procurement of the UK’S postbrexit passports.

Gemalto, a Franco-dutch company, is expected to win the £490million contract to make the blue passports, prompting fury from Brexiteers.

Caroline Nokes, a Home Office minister, told the House of Commons yesterday that the contract offered the “best value” for money.

However, John Spellar, a Labour MP, said Mrs Nokes was living in “the fantasy land of free trade” and that in the “real world” countries protect their own industries and workers.