Ministers have privately admitted that the government may not start negotiating Britain’s future trade relationship with the EU until the end of the year, it emerged today.

This comes despite David Davis insisting back in May that talks on a future trade agreement would take place in parallel with negotiation over the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

This is a humiliating climbdown for David Davis. Once again the bluff and bluster of Tory eurosceptics is being exposed to the cold reality of Brexit.

We were told the EU would be begging us for a trade deal, now even the hard Brexiteers in this government are having to admit Brussels won’t roll over just because the Germans sell us cars.

The UK could now be left with just ten months to negotiate a trade agreement before we crash out of the EU.

The reality is no trade deal will be able to replace the benefits for jobs and living standards we enjoy as members of the Single Market and Customs Union.