The government put pen to paper last week, setting out further detail of the future relationship it wants with the European Union. We set out the new customs arrangement outside the customs union, which delivers as frictionless trade as possible between the UK and EU member states; an outcome we believe is truly in the interests of both sides.

We answered the question put most frequently to us by the business community, by laying out our intention to stay in a customs union with the EU for an interim period. Doing so will mean businesses only have to adjust once to a new customs arrangement, providing much-needed certainty.

We also laid out our position on Northern Ireland, making plain our desire to protect the Good