PM threatens to privatise Passport Office unless backlog is cleared fast

BORIS JOHNSON has threatened to “privatise the a---” out of the Passport Office unless it clears backlogs that have forced families to cancel holidays.

The Prime Minister is said to be “horrified” that families wanting to go on summer holidays are facing 10-week waits for their passports and could miss out unless they pay up to £142 to fast track the paperwork.

In comments to the Cabinet yesterday, he also put the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and similar bodies on notice that they could be privatised.

Sources said privatisation would not be the starting point, but warned that Downing Street could look to businesses to take over if passport bosses could not meet the 10-week target for standard applications costing £75.50.

“He is adamant this is a serious issue facing families and it’s one that needs to be gripped,” said a source.

“He is ensuring those responsible will be asked to make sure they are doing everything possible to clear this backlog and help hard-working families get their passports.”

Mr Johnson later told Talktv he did not rule out privatisation, adding: “I don’t care if an institution is in the public or private sector but I want it to deliver value for money and to keep people’s costs down.”

Although the Home Office said working from home had not affected passport processing, Mr Johnson confirmed he had criticised “post-covid work from home mañana culture.”

Steve Barclay, Downing Street’s chief of staff, is expected to meet Passport Office officials this week to hammer home the message.

Ministers said the problems stem from an unprecedented surge in demand after the lifting of Covid restrictions because five million people had delayed renewing their passports during the pandemic.

They said the “vast majority” of applications are being processed within the 10-week limit, with the average time for renewing an adult passport doubling from 13 days in February to 26 days at the start of April, according to the website passportwaitingtime.co.uk.

But its analysis showed that as many as one in 20 applicants was having to wait more than the promised 10 weeks – equivalent to 50,000 of the one million applications processed last month.

A Passport Office spokesman said: “We urge people who need a new passport to apply for one as soon as possible, with the vast majority of all passport applications being dealt with well within 10 weeks.”