Boris Johnson is facing criticism over the “self-damaging gesture” of pulling British diplomats out of EU decision-making meetings ahead of the Brexit deadline.

During his first week in office, the prime minister told the Commons that he would “unshackle” British officials stationed in Brussels “right away” to use their talents elsewhere in the world.

It comes amid reports that civil servants are to be told within days they will no longer participate in regular working groups with their counterparts from the other 27 member states.

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former Conservative foreign secretary, told The Independent he believed the move was part of No 10’s strategy to show the prime minister is not bluffing in his “do or die” pledge to deliver Brexit by 31 October.

Tom Tugendhat, the chair of Westminster’s Foreign Affairs Committee, also raised concerns, claiming it was “bizarre” to be opting out of bodies taking decisions that could still affect the UK after Brexit.

The Guardian reported on Monday the UK diplomats are to pull out of day-to-day EU meetings – involving issues such as security, foreign policy, and the protection of consumers interests – in the coming days.

Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Show all 40 1 /40 Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Jacob Rees-Mogg Jacob Rees Mogg appointed Leader of the Commons AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Esther McVey Esther McVey appointed housing secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Jo Johnson Jo Johnson appointed new business and energy secretary EPA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Brandon Lewis Brandon Lewis appointed immigration secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: James Cleverly James Cleverly appointed Conservative Party chairman PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Baroness Evans Baroness Evans remains Leader of Lords PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Julian Smith Julian Smith appointed Northern Irish secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Alister Jack Alister jack appointed Scottish secretary PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Alun Cairns Alun Cairns remains Welsh secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Grant Shapps Grant Shapps appointed transport secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Alok Sharma Alok Sharma appointed international development secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Robert Buckland Robert Buckland appointed justice secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Amber Rudd Amber Rudd remains work and pensions secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Robert Jenrick Robert Jenrick appointed housing and communities secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Andrea Leadsom Andrea Leadsom appointed business secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Nicky Morgan Nicky Morgan appointed culture secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Gavin Williamson Gavin Williamson appointed education secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Theresa Villiers Theresa Villiers appointed environment secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Liz Truss Liz Truss is appointed international trade secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Ben Wallace Ben Wallace appointed defence secretary EPA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Stephen Barclay Stephen Barclay remains EU secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Dominic Raab Dominic Raab appointed foreign secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Priti Patel Priti Patel appointed home secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Michael Gove Michael Gove given Chandellor of the Duchy of Lancaster AFP Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Sajid Javid Sajid Javid is appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer AP Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Hunt sacked as foreign secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out In: Matt Hancock Matt Hancock remains health secretary AFP/Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Chris Grayling Chris Grayling resigned as transport secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Jeremy Wright Jeremy Wright sacked as culture secretary PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Karen Bradley Karen Bradley sacked as Northern Ireland secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: James Brokenshire James Brokenshire sacked as housing and communities secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Penny Mordaunt Penny Mourdaunt sacked as defence secretary Reuters Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Liam Fox Liam Fox sacked as international trade secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Greg Clarke Greg Clarke sacked as business secretary PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: David Mundell David Mundell sacked as Scottish secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Damien Hinds Damien Hinds sacked as education secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: David Gauke David Gauke resigned as justice secretary EPA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Rory Stewart Rory Stewart resigned as international development secretary Getty Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: David Lidlington David Lidlington resigned as deputy Prime Minister PA Boris Johnson's cabinet: Who's in and who's out Out: Philip Hammond Philip Hammond resigned as Chancellor of the Exchequer AFP/Getty

Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, is still expected to meet with his EU counterparts in Helsinki towards the end of August.

A government spokesperson did not deny the reports on Downing Street’s strategy, adding: “We are leaving the EU whatever the circumstances on 31 October. It therefore makes sense to review our attendance at EU meetings to make sure we are making the best use of government time. This process is ongoing.”

But speaking to The Independent, Sir Malcolm said: “I think I understand why they are doing this, but I also believe it’s an unnecessary and rather self-damaging gesture.

“Of course the government is right – if the reports are correct – in saying we’re going to be expecting to leave in October and therefore we don’t want to devote lots of resources to committees and meetings which will not concern us in a couple of months’ time.

“However, it is a couple of months and we have a mission in Brussels and it shouldn’t be beyond our capability to have at very least one relatively junior diplomat sitting in on the meetings if only just to find out what’s going on. It’s called intelligence gathering. Therefore I think this is rather ill-advised.”

“Two months is quite a long time,” he continued. “I don’t know which committees or meetings we’re talking about but if it’s most of them, or all of them, then we’re going to be depriving ourselves of a lot of information that we will be spending the next few years trying to find out by other means.”

Mr Tugendhat also said he was concerned the UK was about to “start missing opportunities” to shape decisions by pulling out of the meetings before the Brexit deadline.

In a letter to the foreign secretary, Mr Tugendhat added: “The UK is bound by the decisions made in these meetings until it leaves the EU and with less than three months to go, it would seem to be a key time to ensure no last-minute decisions are taken that could be harder to unpick once we have left.”

Speaking in the House of Commons, the prime minister said in July that “all parties” needed to recognise that the UK’s participation in the EU is coming to an end.

He continued: “There are very many brilliant officials trapped in meeting after meeting in Brussels and Luxembourg when they could be better deploying their talents in preparing to pioneer new trade deals and promoting a truly global Britain.