Blue passports: 60% of Express & Star readers says passport colour does not matter to them

An online poll questioned readers on their thoughts about the colour of passports – which are due to change from burgundy to blue after Brexit.

The issue proved divisive, with 40 per cent of the 2,900 respondents to an E&S poll saying the colour of their passport was 'a sign of British sovereignty'.

However, the remainder – 60 per cent – voted that 'the colour doesn't matter'.

Perhaps predictably, the poll sparked fierce debate online.

Blue passport backer Eddie Scott said: "Blue and change driving licence as well – stuff the EU," however Kevin Blower countered: "It's the same but has fewer rights, higher prices, longer queues and lower international respect. The world [is] sniggering at us."

Rick Gamble commented: "There was never an EU rule dictating burgundy passports. UK could have implemented blue ones at any time." Neil Churm said: "In the long run it doesn't really matter – on the other hand it's another small step away from the EU and that's never a bad thing."

The Government announced plans last week to ditch the EU burgundy cover in favour of a return to the old blue-coloured passports once Brexit takes effect.

The redesign, which routinely happens every five years, will come as part of a £490 million contract which also includes printing and assembling passports and runs for 11-and-a-half years.

Prime Minister Theresa May hailed the move to bring back blue travel documents as an expression of the UK's post-Brexit 'sovereignty and independence', although Nicola Sturgeon described it as "insular, inward looking, nonsense".

The European Parliament's chief Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt pointed out that Britain could have chosen to have a blue passport while remaining a member of the EU.

There is no Brussels regulation which states that EU countries' passports have to be a certain colour, simply a legally non-binding European Council resolution from 1981 which recommends burgundy red.

Mr Verhofstadt tweeted: "There is no EU legislation dictating passport colour. The UK could have had any passport colour it wanted and stay in the EU."

The new design, which will no longer include the EU insignia, will replace the EU-style burgundy cover that has been a feature of the UK passport since the 1980s.

It will be phased in after the UK leaves the EU on March 29 2019.

Burgundy passports will continue to be issued, although without the EU markings, until the current supplier's contract expires in October 2019.