De La Rue, a 200-year-old company that prints British passports, said it would not appeal against a UK government decision to award a contract to a Franco-Dutch rival. Having considered "all of the legal and commercial implications", an appeal was not in its best interests, De La Rue said on Wednesday. "We remain both surprised and disappointed by the decision of Her Majesty’s Passport Office to award the contract to a competitor." The prospect of UK identification documents being produced by Gemalto — a Dutch-listed firm with operations in France — has drawn sharp criticism from supporters of Britain’s decision to leave the EU and derision from the tabloid press. As it prepares for the UK’s departure, the government is reverting to the iconic blue cover, rejecting the EU’s standard burgundy in an "expression of independence and sovereignty". De La Rue’s share price fell as much as 9.4% in early trading in London on Wednesday after announcing its decision not to appeal. It does not ...
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