Britain's Post-Brexit Passports 'to Be Made By French'

Britain's new, blue, post-EU passports are set to be made by a Paris-based firm, reports said Thursday, in what leading Brexit supporters called a "national humiliation".

London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2018 ) :Britain's new, blue, post-EU passports are set to be made by a Paris-based firm, reports said Thursday, in what leading Brexit supporters called a "national humiliation".

The Daily Telegraph newspaper said the next contract to produce British passports would be awarded to Gemalto, while the head of UK manufacturer De La Rue said he had been told his company had lost out to the Franco-Dutch firm.

De La Rue boss Martin Sutherland said it was "disappointing and surprising" that "this icon of British identity" would be manufactured by a foreign company. "We've had that confirmed to us by the Home Office," he told BBC radio in reference to Britain's interior ministry, though the government said the process had not concluded.

Sutherland said he wanted to invite British Prime Minister Theresa May to his factory and explain "why they think this is a sensible decision to offshore the manufacture of a British icon".

An interior ministry spokesman said the preferred bidder had been "selected following a rigorous, fair and open competition".

"It's been the case since 2009 that we do not require passports to be manufactured in the UK," they added. The ministry said the new contract will save the taxpayer approximately 120 million ($160 million, 137 million Euros) and will lead to the creation of up to 70 jobs.

"The preferred supplier is an experienced and trusted company which already work with the government on the production of UK driving licenses, UK Biometric Residence Permit cards and on e-gates at the border," it added.