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Liam Fox has flown around the world eight times in a fruitless quest to secure vital trade deals after Brexit, it was revealed today.

The International Trade Secretary clocked up 219,000 air miles in just 18 months - jetting to 27 countries and every continent except Antarctica.

His travel bill is now estimated to have topped £100,000 - despite him being unlikely to be able to sign any official trade deals before 2021.

Between July and December 2016, he ran up a bill of £37,345 and in the first half of 2017 that increased to £52,198, new figures reveal.

Figures for the last six months of 2017 were not readily available today.

(Image: PA)

A Department for International Trade spokesman said: "Our staff are located across more than 100 countries and as we prepare to leave the EU, you would expect our ministers and staff to travel overseas to build relationships with key global trading partners."

But ex-Lib Dem leader Tim Farron accused Dr Fox of "jetsetting around the world and coming back with diddly squat".

He added: "This would all be laughable if it weren't so serious. Never has a man racked up so many air miles, boasted so much and delivered so little."

Dr Fox has been to the US four times and to Geneva four times, according to The Times.

In his first six months he flew 54,000 miles, including to the Indian cities of Mumbai and Pune.

In his second six months, he flew 65,000 miles, including to Hong Kong, Toronto and Manila.

And in the last six months he flew 101,000 miles, including to Mexico City, Tokyo and Sydney.

Meanwhile, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator has echoed a line from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar as he called for "unity" ahead of trade talks with Britain.

Michel Barnier acknowledged that 2017 had "its share of challenges" and said 2018 would "require renewed European unity, solidarity and direction".

The European Union's 27 other leaders have remained united during the first phase of the Brexit talks, but that bond could be tested as the bloc considers what kind of trading terms are on offer to the UK.

In a post on Twitter, Mr Barnier said: "Best wishes to all, close or far away, for the New Year.

"2017 had its share of challenges, but also of progress. 2018 will require renewed European unity, solidarity and direction.

"In the words of Shakespeare, it is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves!"

Mr Barnier's comment appears to be a reference to a line by Cassius: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves".