Should I beware of the European Union Brexit deadlines when I book my holiday?

Brexit Explained: It’s not just politicians in limbo over Brexit extensions – holidaymakers have been left facing uncertainty too

When the histories are written of the most inept British government in our lifetimes, special mention should be made of the extraordinary position that prospective holidaymakers were placed in at Easter 2019.

With only 48 hours remaining before the (second) no-deal Brexit date, hundreds of thousands of UK citizens did not know whether their passports would be valid for travel in the European Union beyond 11pm on 12 April; whether their British driving licences might expire as they drove along an Italian autostrada; or whether their entitlement to free treatment in a Swedish hospital could be abruptly terminated at the same instant.

A host of other concerns for British visitors to Europe were lower down the list: the charges their mobile phone provider might reintroduce for roaming in the EU, the need for a Green Card for their caravan and the ending of the free admission for British visitors to the Royal Palace in Madrid.