The blue passports were championed by Brexiteers as a symbol of the UK's split from the EU.

'The Brexiters have no more idea in private than they do in public about what they are doing. Predictions based upon their concealed intent project on to them a competence they simply don’t possess.'

As Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares to depart Downing Street, tossed from office by his own party, his legacy — the opening lines of his eventual obituary — will call him the man who “got Brexit done.” / So how is that going? What can be said about the post-Brexit Britain that Johnson is leaving behind?

De La Rue said on Tuesday 171 jobs were at risk at its Gateshead plant, more than a year after the banknote and passport printer lost a 400 million pound contract to make UK passports in the traditional blue colour.

De La Rue boss quits as company struggles after losing out to Franco-Dutch business Gemalto.