Philip Hammond has been sidelined from a series of major "road to Brexit" interventions by Cabinet ministers over the next fortnight as Theresa May seeks to agree a cross-Cabinet vision for Brexit.

Theresa May and Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox - the three leading Cabinet Brexiteers - will all give key note speeches on the UK's EU withdrawal stance over the next three weeks, but the Chancellor will not take part.

The decision to exclude Mr Hammond forced David Gauke, the Justice secretary to deny that there was “any kind of plot to gag a particular faction of ministers”.

One Remain-supporting Government minister told The Telegraph he thought Mr Hammond was not required because his message on Brexit was not “nuanced enough” and “I don’t think even he would pretend that presentational skills are at the top of his list”.

Mr Hammond is viewed with suspicion by Brexiteers. Most recently in a speech in Davos, Switzerland he said there would only be “very modest” changes to relations between the EU and the United Kingdom after leaving the EU.