French will make blue UK passports

THE boss of a British passport manufacturer said he was disappointed the UK Government had decided the new post-brexit blue document will be made in France.

Martin Sutherland, chief executive of De La Rue – which makes the current passport – said: “I find that a disappointing and surprising decision. I think we have heard over the last few weeks and months ministers more than happy to come on the media and talk about the blue passports and the fact that the blue passport is an icon of British identity.

“Now this icon of British identity is going to be manufactured in France.”

Labour’s Ian Mearns, MP for Gateshead, asked for Home Secretary Amber Rudd to appear before MPS to say she will “secure British production of British passports” in order to protect the jobs.

Downing Street insisted the “fair and open” passport procurement process would be allowed to run its course.

“We are still in the process of running a fair and open competition to ensure that the new contract delivers a high-quality product which offers the best value for money for the taxpayer,” a spokesman said.

“Our passports are routinely redesigned every five years and the terms of that have been transparent.”

The spokesman said he had “noted” what De La Rue’s chief executive had said, but asked if that meant the Prime Minister could personally intervene, he said: “No. We are in the process of running a fair and open competitions.