Portsmouth's port 'must be supported' through Brexit

Portsmouth's politicians have urged the government to support the city's port after a report showed it contributed £390m a year to the national economy.

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said talks about no-deal Brexit preparations had so far been "saturated" by Dover.

The Oxford Economics report was presented to politicians and shipping industry members at a parliamentary reception on Wednesday.

Last month, the government announced an extra £9m for port towns to prepare.

It is not yet known how much of that funding will be allocated to Portsmouth.

The study by Oxford Economics said council-owned Portsmouth International Port supported 5,590 jobs, including 2,410 in the local area through direct employment and the supply chain.

The report said in 2017 the Portsmouth port handled 3.9 million tonnes of goods, including 95% of everything consumed on the Channel Islands.

It said 80% of ferry passengers travelling from the UK to Spain passed through Portsmouth, along with 50% of bananas consumed in the UK - although the port said that figure was now 70%.

The report was based on 2017 figures

Following the reception, Mr Morgan said: "No deal is likely to turn our city into a congested lorry park and could see supermarket shelves in the Channel Islands stripped bare of fresh produce in just days.

"As it stands, we see a conversation saturated by talks about Dover. While these talks are essential, we must all work together to ensure that Portsmouth International Port and others have their voice heard."

Last month, city council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said the authority had already spent £4m on no-deal preparations amid fears of lorries queuing on the motorway for customs checks.

Mr Vernon-Jackson said: "It's essential we protect the port as a critical trade route for goods. We hope that these latest findings... make sure it's always considered on a national level."

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the government had already "made £77m available to local areas" and was "working closely with those areas with major ports to help them prepare for Brexit".