"Everyone" wants to strike a free trade deal with the UK, Iceland’s foreign minister has claimed.

Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, who has already cautioned European leaders about punishing Britain with a bad trade deal, called for a quick resolution to trade talks between the EU and the UK.

Speaking on BBC Radio Four’s Today programme, he said: “You’re the fifth largest economy in the world. Everyone wants to sell you goods and services. It’s just as simple as that.”

Mr Thordarsan believes Britiain should rejoin the European Free Trade Assocation (EFTA), which is composed of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. EFTA members are not members of the EU but have access to the single market in return for making payments to Brussels.