Theresa May is considering signing up Britain to a catch-all agreement with Brussels that Brexiteers fear will amount to “EU Mark II”.

Mrs May has told ministers that the UK could “potentially” accept an association agreement with the EU, which critics say would make Britain a “rule taker” from Europe.

Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, are also open to the idea, which was first raised at a meeting of the Cabinet’s Brexit sub-committee last week.

Mr Hammond said it would “save time” to sign up to something the EU is already familiar with, while Mr Davis also said such an arrangement could work.

Mrs May, meanwhile, suggested an association agreement could be used as a “box” to containing the different strands of the Brexit deal.