Post-Brexit border controls WON’T stop Santa: Cabinet minister confirms sleigh has clearance to use UK airspace from ‘pro-Christmas’ government 

A Cabinet minister today insisted Santa has clearance to use UK airspace – stressing that the government is pro-Christmas.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride moved to soothe concerns about the magical being’s travel, as he endorsed the Irish Parliament’s annual statement confirming his exemptions from border controls.

MPs have been calling for the House of Commons to give a similar gesture of approval for the sleigh, which theoretically could be subject to customs and even tax. 

Asked on Sky News about Father Christmas’s permission to travel, Mr Stride said: ‘I think that is enormously important. And I know that the Prime Minister and the whole government, we are all very pro Santa Claus… 

‘Father Christmas, he comes to my house. I mean, it sounds extraordinary. 

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride moved to soothe concerns about Santa’s travel

The Cabinet minister offered reassurance that Santa has clearance to use UK airspace 

‘But every year since I’ve been around he’s come and visited.’

Pressed on how he welcomed Santa, Mr Stride said: ‘I leave a carrot for the reindeer, I leave a little glass of brandy, and some mince pies.

‘And then what happens? I go down with my girls and the next morning always the carrot has been nibbled at, so I know that the reindeer have been there. 

‘The brandy has been completely consumed. And in a kind of greedy fashion it seems to me, spilt all over the place. He’s obviously a rush. 

‘And there are normally some little footprints where the reindeer have come from the the fireplace into the room.’

He added: ‘So absolutely, there will be no barriers to Santa Claus delivering this year.’  

A parliamentary motion tabled by the SNP in Westminster this week pointed to the Irish tradition, and highlighted that the Civil Aviation Authority ‘does not make a similar gesture’ in the UK.

In a statement to the Dáil last week, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that rules on immigration, customs and the movement of animals had been waived for the sack-laden traveller, his sleigh and his eight-strong team of airborne reindeer.

 ‘I would like to confirm that Santa Claus has permission to enter Irish airspace and to cross our borders on December 24 through December 25.

‘I want to thank IAA, INIS (the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service), Department of Agriculture, and Revenue Commissioners for allowing necessary exemptions to occur.’

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed last week that Santa had been granted leave to cross the border on the night of December 25 

Although Ireland has a small air corps in its Defence Forces, it has no fighter aircraft, so the biggest threat to the global joy-bringer would have come from the Royal Air Force.

In the summer the Irish Times revealed the existence of a pact in place since the 1950s effectively giving the UK responsibility of policing the republic’s airspace and downing any intruders.

Though the agreement was initially set up to death with Russian threats, arrivals from Lapland would also be closely monitored and potentially intercepted by RAF Typhoons.

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