Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has criticised the EU again over the row over visa-free touring for UK artists.

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Dowden previously blamed the EU for not permitting visa-free travel for UK artists in Europe. They subsequently hit back by denying claims that they had rejected the UK’s “ambitious proposals” and said that they had in fact offered the UK 90 days of visa-free travel – but the UK responded with their own proposal of just 30 days.

Despite widespread anger from artists and music industry bosses calling on the government to “take this seriously and fix it”, ministers rejected the idea recently – insisting that “taking back control” of the UK’s borders is their priority and that talks would only resume if Brussels “changes its mind”.

Now, Dowden has spoken in the House of Commons saying the current barriers are “absurd and self-defeating”, reports BBC News.

He went on to say the situation “could have been solved” before January 1 and blamed the EU yet again.

Conservative MP Clive Watling, urged the government to return to the negotiating table.