Every adult should be given a cash handout to mark Britain’s exit from the EU, Chris Grayling suggested at a special cabinet meeting.

The transport secretary’s proposal for a “Brexit bonus” came as ministers discussed this week how to respond to the possible economic shock of crashing out of the EU without an agreement. The suggestion was met with astonishment by some colleagues, according to a witness. “Liz Truss’s face was a picture,” they said of the Treasury chief secretary.

Sajid Javid, the home secretary, laid out a series of pro-business emergency measures that he said would be necessary to keep the economy afloat. A source said that these included suspending environmental regulations, workers’ rights and auto-enrolment in workplace pensions. “This was very much