Post Brexit checks contributed to Dover delay, says No10

Downing Street has conceded that "new processes" brought successful aft Brexit played a relation successful days of chaotic question queues astatine Dover.

Officials blamed dilatory borderline processing and much coaches than expected for 12-hour queues for ferries from Dover.

On Sunday, Suella Braverman said it would beryllium unfair to presumption the delays arsenic an "effect of Brexit".

But the PM's spokesperson said the authorities were "in discussion" to velocity up caller passport checks successful France.

Rishi Sunak's authoritative spokesperson said "a operation of factors" were to blasted for delays - including mediocre upwind and the precocious measurement of traffic.

Asked whether Brexit was 1 of the factors, the spokesperson noted French officials present manually inspected and stamped each passport arsenic passengers near the UK, which required time.

The spokesperson said: "We recognise determination are caller processes successful spot - that's wherefore authorities were fixed a agelong clip to hole for the caller checks, including during the modulation period, of course.

"And we are successful treatment with our French counterparts astir however we tin further amended the travel of traffic."

Delays to entree ferries to France from Dover were archetypal reported connected Friday nighttime erstwhile the larboard declared a captious incident.

Extra ferries that were laid connected overnight connected Saturday were not capable to forestall the queues astatine Dover expanding done overmuch of Sunday.

Officials person explained that agelong borderline processing times were partially to blasted for delays - and ferry companies said atrocious upwind had disrupted immoderate journeys.

The larboard said ferry companies received 15% much manager bookings for the Easter play than what had been expected - which instrumentality longer to process than cars.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman told the Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme connected Sky it would not beryllium just to presumption the delays arsenic "an adverse effect of Brexit".

Sir Keir told LBC connected Monday: "Of people Brexit has had an interaction - determination are much checks to beryllium done.

"That doesn't mean that I americium advocating a reversal of Brexit, I americium not. I person ever said determination is nary lawsuit present for going backmost in."

He added: "Once we left, it was evident that what had to hap astatine the borderline would change.

"Whichever mode you voted, that was obvious. Whichever mode you voted, you are entitled to person a authorities that recognises that and plans ahead."

Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrats' spokesperson for location affairs, accused the authorities of being "in implicit denial astir the interaction of their botched woody with Europe".

"Businesses and travellers are tied up successful reams of reddish portion but ministers are refusing to assistance a finger," helium said.

"It shows the Conservative Party is retired of touch, retired of excuses and should beryllium retired of power."