British & European citizens post Brexit
Mar 22nd 2018, 4:39 pm
#46
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,854
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
You know full that many of the anti-foreigner brigade are rejoicing in getting "our" passports back instead of those pesky European ones and they won't be at all happy who is providing them whether it saves money or not.
Maybe you'll accept the Times instead.
Passport issue leaves Brexiteers blue in the face
Maybe you'll accept the Times instead.
Passport issue leaves Brexiteers blue in the face
Prominent Leavers declared it a major coup last December when the government confirmed that after Britain seceded from the union, it would ditch the burgundy design and reintroduce the pre-EU blue cover.....Now the row has erupted again because the government is set to award the manufacturing contract for the new passports to a Franco-Dutch firm, which undercut the leading UK firm by £50 million in its bid.
The irony that this icon of UK sovereignty could be produced abroad has not been lost on Brexiteers. The former cabinet minister Priti Patel went so far as to brand it a “national humiliation”.
The irony that this icon of UK sovereignty could be produced abroad has not been lost on Brexiteers. The former cabinet minister Priti Patel went so far as to brand it a “national humiliation”.
Mar 22nd 2018, 5:03 pm
#47
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
Earlier, De La Rue boss Martin Sutherland told the BBC's Today programme: "Over the last few months we have heard ministers happy to come on the media and talk about the new blue passport and the fact that it is an icon of British identity.
"But now this icon of British identity is going to be manufactured in France."
He added: "I'd like to ask Theresa May or Amber Rudd to come to my factory and explain to our dedicated workforce why this is a sensible decision to offshore the manufacture of a British icon."
"But now this icon of British identity is going to be manufactured in France."
He added: "I'd like to ask Theresa May or Amber Rudd to come to my factory and explain to our dedicated workforce why this is a sensible decision to offshore the manufacture of a British icon."
Mar 22nd 2018, 5:31 pm
#48
Magnificently Withering
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Oakville, ON
Posts: 6,891
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
Quite. Little sympathy for DeLaRue, who presumably thought they were effectively going to be sole-bidding on the contract so didn't exactly put much effort into keeping costs down. Perhaps, instead of inviting May to his factory, he should instead be invited to visit a Select Committee to explain why his bid was so uncompetitively priced.
Mar 22nd 2018, 5:46 pm
#49
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
Quite. Little sympathy for DeLaRue, who presumably thought they were effectively going to be sole-bidding on the contract so didn't exactly put much effort into keeping costs down. Perhaps, instead of inviting May to his factory, he should instead be invited to visit a Select Committee to explain why his bid was so uncompetitively priced.
Mar 22nd 2018, 6:03 pm
#50
Listen to the Music
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: Fraser Valley BC
Posts: 4,723
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
Quite. Little sympathy for DeLaRue, who presumably thought they were effectively going to be sole-bidding on the contract so didn't exactly put much effort into keeping costs down. Perhaps, instead of inviting May to his factory, he should instead be invited to visit a Select Committee to explain why his bid was so uncompetitively priced.
Mar 22nd 2018, 6:05 pm
#51
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
De La Rue should have, and might have, been given the opportunity to match the bid. This is a political shot right through the foot and something the man on the Clapham Omnibus will recognise only by headlines. He's not interested in niceties and details, it's the headline that'll make him ask the question 'What are these stupid bloody politicians doing?'
Mar 22nd 2018, 7:29 pm
#52
Listen to the Music
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: Fraser Valley BC
Posts: 4,723
Mar 23rd 2018, 12:19 pm
#53
Proudly Scarberian
Joined: Aug 2014
Location: Scarberia
Posts: 2,196
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
"Britain officially approves dutch auctioning" would add a further level of irony.
De La Rue should have, and might have, been given the opportunity to match the bid. This is a political shot right through the foot and something the man on the Clapham Omnibus will recognise only by headlines. He's not interested in niceties and details, it's the headline that'll make him ask the question 'What are these stupid bloody politicians doing?'
Mar 23rd 2018, 12:22 pm
#54
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
Or deliberately underbid. Or De La Rue assumed it had it in the bag. It will be interesting to see whether this actually goes through or whether HMG will try and fiddle it.
Mar 23rd 2018, 2:07 pm
#55
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2012
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 3,263
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
De La Rue should have, and might have, been given the opportunity to match the bid. This is a political shot right through the foot and something the man on the Clapham Omnibus will recognise only by headlines. He's not interested in niceties and details, it's the headline that'll make him ask the question 'What are these stupid bloody politicians doing?'
Of course women don't ask such deep questions ....
Mar 23rd 2018, 3:59 pm
#56
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
France, for example, only accepts French bidders for the job.
But this is just the most recent case of the EU being blamed for British stupidity, the last one in this close context being the claim that the EU forced the pink EU format passport on the UK in the first place. It didn't. No such EU regulation exists.
Mar 23rd 2018, 4:04 pm
#57
Listen to the Music
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: Fraser Valley BC
Posts: 4,723
Mar 23rd 2018, 5:03 pm
#58
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Not in Paris
Posts: 18,194
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
But it didn't have to be carried out under EU tender rules. When it comes to passport production the application of those rules is optional.
France, for example, only accepts French bidders for the job.
But this is just the most recent case of the EU being blamed for British stupidity, the last one in this close context being the claim that the EU forced the pink EU format passport on the UK in the first place. It didn't. No such EU regulation exists.
France, for example, only accepts French bidders for the job.
But this is just the most recent case of the EU being blamed for British stupidity, the last one in this close context being the claim that the EU forced the pink EU format passport on the UK in the first place. It didn't. No such EU regulation exists.
Mar 23rd 2018, 6:37 pm
#59
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
That's not correct. France and Germany do not tender out the process to private companies - the passports are printed in-house by their respective governments. The UK used to do this until the company concerned was privatised in 1996. If the Home Office decided to print the passports themselves then there would be no need to invite bidders and be subject to EU procurement regulations.
ETA: It might have been preferable (a) not to privatise the "arm" of the Home Office in the first place? Or even <gasp> (b) to renationalise it as an early sign of Taking Back Control.
The central truth here is that it isn't the Uk government who wants to TBC, but rather that the loony right wing wants to avoid upcoming EU regs on tax avoidance and tax havens. Without of course doing anything for the country in the process.
Last edited by Novocastrian; Mar 23rd 2018 at 6:51 pm.
Mar 23rd 2018, 6:48 pm
#60
limey party pooper
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 9,982
Re: British & European citizens post Brexit
De La Rue should have, and might have, been given the opportunity to match the bid. This is a political shot right through the foot and something the man on the Clapham Omnibus will recognise only by headlines. He's not interested in niceties and details, it's the headline that'll make him ask the question 'What are these stupid bloody politicians doing?'