The SNP’s transport spokesperson has urged Scots travelling to Europe this Easter to check their passport is valid, and warned that “we are seeing a real life example of the consequences of Brexit, which Scotland didn’t vote for.”
The call from Gavin Newlands MP comes after reports revealed that 2.4 million people have been caught out by a new post-Brexit “10 year rule”, with many having to forego their travel plans or pay thousands of pounds extra continue into Europe
UK citizens travelling to Europe used to be able to carry up to nine months left on an old passport over to a new one.
A post-Brexit rule now means that to gain entry to most EU countries, a UK passport must have been issued less than ten years before the date you enter and be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave.
Commenting, SNP Transport spokesperson, Gavin Newlands MP said:
“I am urging all Scots set to travel to Europe and abroad this Easter weekend – and in the future – to check and double-check their passport is valid.
“You can check entry requirements for individual countries on the UK government’s website.
“What we are seeing are the real life consequences of the UK leaving the EU. Many holiday-makers in Scotland will have been caught out by this rule, which is a direct result of the Brexit we didn’t vote for.
“The chaos we’ve seen so far this week will only get worse, and it doesn’t bode well for the new rules set to come in later this year on biometric passport checks.
“It must serve as a wake-up call to the UK government to do all it can to ensure the further new rules don’t create the same situation, leaving families unable to go on holiday and out of pocket.
“Brexit has been an unmitigated disaster from the beginning – but the Tories and Labour are sticking their heads in the sand over this fact.
“Scotland needs representatives who aren’t afraid to call out Brexit for the disaster it has been and who will continue to lead the opposition to Scotland’s removal from the EU.
“Only a vote for the SNP at the next general election can secure that.”
