The Trade Bill announced in the Queen’s speech is simply a job creation scheme for Liam Fox, the Liberal Democrats have said.

Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson, said:

“In reality this is an Anti-Trade Bill, as it means leaving the single market and customs union, despite clear opposition from the Chancellor and the Bank of England.

“It might give Liam Fox a job with plenty of air miles, but many workers will be worried that this bill will give them nothing but P45s.

“Leaving the single market and customs union would be catastrophic for the British economy, wrenching us out of the world’s biggest marketplace of over 500 million consumers. Our integrated European supply chains and international companies based here rely on free trade with Europe. Britain pushed to create this system to avoid exactly the regulatory nightmare we will now face.

“Every port will be clogged up with lorries arguing over export dockets, with companies less keen to include British goods in their supply chains, and a border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland will further destabilise our union.

“Theresa May has no mandate to pursue this extreme Brexit, yet she is charging on with a package which will harm jobs, the economy and our country.”