British Passports bveing made in France

[darmstadt]

Are they actually going to be made in France? Gemalto have plants in the UK where they already do some work for the government. Isn't this just the xenophobic right wing press pushing their own agenda and getting the 'Little Englander' all up in arms? Maybe the owners of these rags could drop their non-dom status and pay some tax in the UK? Maybe they could start a petition to bring back those public utilities that were privatised under the Tories and now owned by foreign firms back into British hands? Maybe the Tories shouldn't have privatised the Stationary Office who used to print the passports? Maybe British people should now only buy British? Maybe anyone who thinks that this is important is a ******* small minded moron...

[Paddy]

Sorry to be boring with a more serious slant but..

I'm not bothered about the passport in particular as I gather all the actual security stuff will be done here but I do wonder if governments take into account all costs when handing out these contracts. When you keep a job in the UK the actual cost is less than the contract payment because UK businesses and workers pay taxes and less expenditure is needed on welfare. Paying UK companies also gives them potential to grow and expand our economy.

I suspect not, even basic logic is beyond our governments at times.

Even worse is unemployment benefits processed in India

[fullyautomatix]

It is possible that the British company bidding thought they would be favoured over any European country and so bid about 50 million more ? I can understand bidding against a Indian body shop and losing a contract due to low cost offshore model but bidding against a French company and losing is something else and shows the greed of the company directors to make short term profit and trouser enormous bonus on the back of it.

[DimPrawn]

Glad to see it is not just The Daily Mail readers who don't like this move:

Unite slams plan to move UK passport makers to France

That is what the Labour Party used to be a few decades ago, one that fought for the welfare of the working British man.

More like 50 years ago grandad.

[xoggoth]

Glad to see it is not just The Daily Mail readers who don't like this move:

Unite slams plan to move UK passport makers to France

That is what the Labour Party used to be a few decades ago, one that fought for the welfare of the working British man.

[SueEllen]

Sorry to be boring with a more serious slant but..

I'm not bothered about the passport in particular as I gather all the actual security stuff will be done here but I do wonder if governments take into account all costs when handing out these contracts. When you keep a job in the UK the actual cost is less than the contract payment because UK businesses and workers pay taxes and less expenditure is needed on welfare. Paying UK companies also gives them potential to grow and expand our economy.

I suspect not, even basic logic is beyond our governments at times.

The tendering process has to be "fair".

Unfortunately we have thick civil servants who run such processes.....

[xoggoth]

Sorry to be boring with a more serious slant but..

I'm not bothered about the passport in particular as I gather all the actual security stuff will be done here but I do wonder if governments take into account all costs when handing out these contracts. When you keep a job in the UK the actual cost is less than the contract payment because UK businesses and workers pay taxes and less expenditure is needed on welfare. Paying UK companies also gives them potential to grow and expand our economy.

I suspect not, even basic logic is beyond our governments at times.

[OwlHoot]

I dunno what all the fuss about really. These new passports produced in France willl look just like they do now.