AN MP has pledged to fight on to reverse a Government decision to award a contract for new blue passports to a French firm instead of a North-East company.

Labour’s Blaydon MP Liz Twist spoke after yesterday visiting workers at De La Rue’s Gateshead plant, who are still reeling from the shock of losing the deal to the Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto.

Ms Twist, whose constituency takes in the Team Valley firm, said: “It is sad to have to visit in these circumstances.

“But I was glad to meet the staff who were really concerned for their future.

“There is a touch of sadness and disbelief. They are really proud at the work they do in delivering high-quality security-assured passports for the British Government and doing that well.”

The MP is awaiting a reply to her call for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister and Home Secretary Amber Rudd. And she will be tabling an Early Day Motion on Monday, for a debate on the matter in the House of Commons.

She said: “For me as a local MP there is an added dimension. I feel very much for these workers, who have been affected by this announcement and I want to do everything I can to work with them and to support them.

“I’ll be raising some of the issues they raised with me in the House in whatever way I can.

“I think there are issues about the procurement process. Why did we had to go to procurement in this instance, when the other countries don’t?

“There are questions about the process itself. Because the difference in price that has been quoted is such that I have concerns about how the work can be done.

“The other thing is about the issue of maintaining passports in the UK specially as we move to the iconic new blue passport.”

De La Rue chief executive Martin Sutherland said: “I have met the team in Gateshead today who are disappointed about the government’s decision.

“After providing such a fantastic service for the last nine years, it is a real blow for them. I have pledged that we will continue to fight to get this decision overturned so that the production of the British passport stays here in the UK where it belongs and is made by the great team here in Gateshead.”

According to the Home Office, the preferred bid will save the taxpayer approximately £120m during the lifetime of the contract. Downing Street has insisted the “fair and open” passport procurement process would be allowed to run its course.