Government’s Brexit strategy not to ‘have its cake and eat it’ argues Cabinet minister after embarrassing leaked memo

THE Government’s Brexit strategy is not to have its cake and eat it argued a Cabinet minister after an embarrassing leaked memo.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said he did not "recognise" the contents of the note, which was caught on camera in the hands of an aide in Downing Street.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he continued: "I was interested and amused to see it because it doesn't reflect any of the conversations that I've been part of in Downing Street.

"I don't know what the provenance of that note is. All I can say is this is going to be a negotiation that has to be serious. We have to get our negotiating mandate in place but this is being done soberly and meticulously."

Asked if the Government's policy was "have your cake and eat it” as the memo suggested, he replied: "It would be nice to have but it's not the policy."

It comes after Number 10 was forced to play down suggestions Britain will be unable to remain in the single market after it leaves the EU, after the memorandum suggested it was ";unlikely".

The document was carried by a senior Tory aide to Conservative Party vice-chairman Mark Field as they emerged from a meeting with the Department for Exiting the EU.

A Government spokesman said: "These individual notes do not belong to a Government official or a special adviser.

“They do not reflect the Government's position in relation to Brexit negotiations."

However Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said the memo appeared to reflect a Government in disarray over the forthcoming negotiating process.

"If this is a strategy it is incoherent. We can't have our cake and eat it and there is no certainty on the single market," he said.

“This picture shows the Government doesn't have a plan or even a clue.”

And Keir Starmer, Shadow Minister for Leaving the European Union, said: “The case for Government to come clean, to end this unnecessary uncertainty and publish a clear plan for Brexit is now overwhelming.

“Two weeks ago Boris Johnson told a Czech newspaper that the Government is not planning for the UK to stay in the Customs Union, yesterday we learn from leaked notes that the Government does not intend to stay in the single market either.”

The Labour MP added: “These disclosures are significant because they suggest that the Government is not even going to fight for the single market or customs union in the negotiations.

“If that is the case, there are huge implications for the economy, for businesses and for jobs in the UK.”