Government promises answers over state of Portsmouth port after Brexit if firms have '˜more patience'

Home secretary Amber Rudd moved to reassure firms yesterday after concern was raised about Portsmouth International Port.

As reported, a logistics firm in Farlington said it was holding back from using the port until Brexit was cleared up and Brittany Ferries insisted the port must not be an ‘afterthought’.

Ms Rudd said: ‘I’m ambitious to make sure we have a system, a free trade deal, that will enable us to have a deep and special partnership, as the prime minister has said, to enable trade to carry on as effectively and in as frictionless way as possible to make sure that the good working in Portsmouth, and indeed in Southampton, carries on as it has to date.

‘We know these are difficult matters and know that some of the private sector providers in this sector want to know exactly what it’s going to be like, but we have to ask for a bit more patience from them as those negotiations are ongoing.

‘The good news is we have secured the implementation period until the end of 2020 so the private sector can know until that point they won’t have to make any changes. But I understand their need to have more information and we’re going to give it them just as soon as we can.’