Starmer E-Gate Spin Explodes as Tories Accuse Downing Street of Breaking Civil Service Code – Guido Fawkes

Starmer E-Gate Spin Explodes as Tories Accuse Downing Street of Breaking Civil Service Code

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Eyebrows were raised on Monday when Downing Street put out this post on X:

Instead of waiting in long queues at passport control, Brits travelling to Europe will now be able to use e-Gates.

So you can start your holiday sooner. pic.twitter.com/O7JuXbqdfP

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) May 19, 2025

This is despite the fact that no EU-wide agreement on e-gates has actually been reached. The latest line from Downing Street is the UK has already started talks with individual EU member states to use e-gates for Britons. Already got that with Portugal – without handing over fishing rights…

Guido can reveal the Tories have now written to Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary Cat Kittle to complain about that X post, which they claim is a “blatant misuse of official communication channels.” Wouldn’t be the first time…

“The availability of e-gates for British citizens remains at the discretion of individual EU member states. This is not a guaranteed outcome of the deal, and presenting it as such is a distortion designed for political credit… It is an abuse of government resources to make speculative claims dressed up as policy achievements for clear partisan advantage.”

The entire negotiating point, which is celebrated by Labour as one of the main wins from their surrender deal, is entirely moot anyway seeing as long-held plans by the EU to digitise international airport borders for non-EU citizens are ploughing ahead anyway, due to start in October. This is the “Entry-Exit System” which is introducing e-gates to “replace the current practice of manual stamping of passports which is time consuming, and will facilitate the effective detection of over-stayers”…

Labour spin is overblown on three counts. A rough deal gets rougher…

Read the Tories’ full letter below: