Legal advice lays bare how ministers’ hands have been tied by Brussels

Britain could be hit with millions of pounds in fines if the government starts negotiating trade deals with other countries before leaving the European Union.

Leaked documents show that there is a “high risk” that the European Commission will take Britain to court and that EU countries could launch individual retaliations if ministers begin talks with countries with whom the EU is already trying to negotiate.

Legal advice given to Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, lays bare how confrontational the Brexit negotiations will be and how ministers’ hands have been tied by Brussels.

Papers seen by The Sunday Times also expose a split at the heart of the cabinet about how best to cash in on Brexit.

A Brexit trade strategy that has been