Passport backlog is causing havoc in Rochdale, says MP

Simon Danczuk MP

A huge passport backlog is severely disrupting holidaymakers and business people that need to travel, Rochdale’s MP has warned.

Simon Danczuk said his office had been inundated with angry complaints from local people whose travel arrangements had been thrown into chaos as a result of what he called a “shambles of a system”.

“During my time as Rochdale’s MP I’ve never had anyone come to me about passport problems yet in the last few weeks the phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” he said. “People are worried they won’t be able to go on holiday, families can’t visit relatives and business trips are being cancelled at great expense. The system is in chaos and the Home Secretary has got to get a grip.”

Last week emergency measures were announced to get to grips with the backlog crisis, but Mr Danczuk said he did not have confidence that the Government were on top of the problem.

“This is being badly managed and I think the Passport Office needs to be brought under the direct control of the Home Office. It’s obvious that strong leadership is needed,” he said. “I agree with Labour’s shadow immigration minister David Hanson that the Government should be looking into the issue of compensation for people who missed holidays as a result of lengthy delays in processing their passports. People in Rochdale work hard to go on holiday and I don’t want to see them lose money because of the Government’s shambolic system.”