GREEN MP Caroline Lucas has called on the Home Office to address a passport backlog which means people are waiting weeks for applications to be processed.

The MP for Brighton Pavilion said the long wait for passports is the biggest issue people are raising with her, with many hoping to go on holiday over the summer.

In a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel, Ms Lucas said: “I am receiving a staggering number of enquiries from desperate constituents who have been waiting more than ten weeks for their passports to be processed.

“In many cases, people are contacting me because they simply cannot get through to the passport office on the phone themselves or get basic questions answered about their applications when they do.

“Many are missing important life events, losing work and, in the case of one of my constituents, having their place representing Great Britain on a national sports team put in jeopardy because their passport renewal application has not been processed.

“These delays are quite simply impacting the welfare of my constituents, who are left being unable to grieve, celebrate or enjoy time with loved ones, and who are losing work and career opportunities which impact on their future.”

Ms Lucas called on the Home Secretary to take action “without delay” to address the issues and ensure the Passport Office can meet demand.

Following the easing of coronavirus restrictions, hundreds of thousands of people across the country have sought to get new passports to allow them to travel abroad after years of lockdown.

However, MPs were told earlier this week the delay in processing applications may not improve before the end of the year.

Passport Office director Thomas Grieg said turnaround times may not return to normal for another “few months”, leaving people facing the prospect of long waits for identity documents continuing over the summer.

However, he did say demand for passports had fallen “significantly” over the last few weeks.

Five million applications have been dealt with so far this year, more than the entire number handled in 2021.