Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, has entered the race to succeed Theresa May

Cabinet divisions were reignited in public today as the Brexit secretary called for plans for a no-deal departure to be ramped up.

Steve Barclay said that MPs should “face facts” and accept that preparations for a no-deal Brexit must resume “at pace” if Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement does not pass the Commons in a fortnight.

In that scenario, the Brexit secretary said, the choice would be between leaving the EU without a deal or revoking Article 50 to remain part of the bloc. Minutes later another minister said that a no-deal exit should be ruled out in law.

Mr Barclay told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “If parliament won’t back a deal then it needs to confront that reality. And I do think in