He has been cruelly nicknamed “Failing Grayling” and set up as the Cabinet’s Brexit whipping boy, but the Transport Secretary on Monday night restated his Leave credentials by insisting Nissan’s X-Trail decision had more to do with diesel than the referendum result.

Having described himself as the “lightning rod for the anti-Brexit brigade”, the prominent Brexiteer who ran Theresa May’s leadership campaign cautioned against blaming the Japanese car company’s decision to move the project from its Sunderland plant on the UK’s EU exit.

Appearing to contradict Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, Chris Grayling told The Telegraph: “Obviously I’m very disappointed by Nissan’s decision. But it’s clear that this has much more to do with the diesel car market than Brexit. Their statement of continuing commitment to the UK, whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, is welcome.”

The move comes after Mr Clark, who is among those in Cabinet urging the Prime Minister to rule out leaving the EU without an agreement, described the about-turn as a “Brexit no-deal warning sign”, saying it “cast a shadow over their future in Britain”.

Unwilling to engage in what he described as “some of the Project Fear hysteria”, Mr Grayling, a 56-year-old veteran MP, insisted Britain was prepared for no deal and claimed that the only people to blame for the UK “crashing out” are in Brussels, not Britain.