British holidaymakers could benefit from huge breakthrough in EU talks

British holidaymakers could avoid long queues in airports amid hopes of a breakthrough agreement.

UK and EU negotiators are set to strike a deal that will allow Britons to use e-gates across Europe.

This would mean families do not have to wait hours to get a stamp in their passports.

Individual EU countries will decide whether to give British travellers preferential access, under the proposed agreement.

They will still have to sign up for a new electronic travel document known as Etias, due to be introduced next year.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Ursala von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, could also announce agreements on cutting red tape on food exports and imports, and setting up a youth mobility scheme with the EU in London on Monday.

The headline announcement is expected to be a defence and security pact.

Asked whether he was confident British travellers would be able to use EU e-gates at European airports, Thomas-Symonds said: "I'm certainly pushing for people to be able to go through far more quickly.

"I think we can all agree that not being stuck in queues and having more time to spend, whether it's on holiday or work trips, having more time to do what you want ... would be a very sensible objective."

Some destinations in Spain and Portugal have already introduced e-gates that accept British passports.

Mr Thomas-Symonds also suggested that any youth mobility scheme with Europe would have to be "smart and controlled" to prevent immigration from spiralling.

He told the BBC: "As of today we already have 13 youth mobility schemes with other countries. Nobody is remotely suggesting that that is freedom of movement with those countries, it absolutely isn't."