The Cabinet did not agree to Theresa May's negotiating strategy for the transition period after Brexit before it was sent to EU nations, senior ministers have told The Telegraph.

The official strategy document, which was published on Wednesday, prompted a furious backlash after raising the prospect of an open-ended transition period after Brexit.

The legal text makes no mention of Theresa May's pledge to end free movement after Britain leaves the EU in March 2019, while Eurosceptics also raised concerns that it could limit Britain's ability to strike free trade deals.

The Telegraph understands that Cabinet ministers were told about the position paper less than 24 hours before it was published, and several of them were furious about its contents.

It is likely to increase tensions at a meeting of Thursday's Brexit Cabinet sub-committee in Chequers which is intended to reach an agreement on the future of Britain's relationship with the EU.