Britain will "leverage" its £11 billion foreign aid budget to build a series of new trade deals as it leaves the European Union, the Telegraph has learned.

Priti Patel, the new International Development Secretary, and her ministers will use meetings with foreign leaders from countries that receive foreign aid to "open the door" to new deals.

While rules bar Britain from explicitly tying trade deals to foreign aid, Mrs Patel plans to use the department's budget in Britain's "national interest" to help with the Brexit process.

She has already held meetings with Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, to discuss how they can use Britain's foreign aid budget to bolster trade deals.