In light of the news that the Government is set to award the contract to print Britain’s new passports to a company based in Holland, local MP Alan Campbell has today written to the Prime Minister to urge her to reconsider.

In a letter to the Prime Minister Tynemouth MP Alan Campbell said “Ministers are keen to quote EU procurement rules whilst accepting that other EU countries particularly France manage to ensure that the contract goes to a company in their own country. I understand that a Government may cite national interest as the reason for doing so.

May I suggest that the UK Government does the same and take the remaining stages of the process to ensure that a UK company is awarded the contract.

In particular De La Rue, based in Gateshead have the experience, skills and reliability to do so and I would urge the UK Government to back the De La Rue bid and back UK workers.”