Downing Street admitted that new processes brought in after Brexit played a role in days of chaotic travel queues in Dover, one day after Suella Braverman, the home secretary, was accused of denying it was a factor.
The delays were due to a combination of factors including poor weather and the high volume of traffic, as well as the fact that the UK left the EU in the past has resulted in waiting times of up to 10 hours for coaches to reach Channel ferries, according to Rishi Sunak s official spokesperson.
The French officials now manually inspected and stamped each passport as passengers left the UK, which required time, according to the spokesperson.
They said there are new processes in place. That's why authorities were given a long time to prepare for the new checks, including during the transition period, and we are in discussion with our French counterparts about how we can improve the flow of traffic. They said they believe that they have put in measures to mitigate any challenges that may come up that will give authorities more time to prepare, and working with our French counterparts to increase our ability to move traffic and passengers through freely. The spokesperson said that I am happy to repeat myself, and that this was a yes to this meaning that Brexit did play a role. They were told this was not necessary.
When asked about queues that saw school trips cancelled and a wave of complaints, Braverman said operations at the French border had largely been good since Britain left the EU.
She told Sky News's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "I don't think it's fair to say that this has been an adverse effect of the Brexit," Braverman said. We have had many years since leaving the European Union and there have been very good operations and processes at the border. We are working with port authorities, operators and the French government to keep any potential disruption to a minimum.