Ursula von der Leyen warned that Britain needed to be clearer about the sort of trade deal it wanted

Britain will table its plans for a Canada-style free trade agreement with the EU before the next round of negotiations, the government has announced.

Michael Gove, the chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, who advises on policy development, said that the government would put forward a series of draft legal texts as Britain attempts to take the initiative in talks.

It is likely to highlight the distance between the two sides on issues such as regulation and fisheries.

Demands yesterday by the EU for the UK to “make up its mind” on the kind of post-Brexit deal it wants were treated with disdain by Downing Street. Brussels has called for a “level playing field” in areas such as workers’ rights, environmental protections and