Ministers have warned Whitehall that there can be no more "excuses" for going slow on Brexit preparations, including readying the UK for the prospect of leaving the EU without a deal.

A team of 100 officials in David Davis's Brexit department will this month urge mandarins to intensify Brexit preparations as they return a series of delivery plans to Whitehall.

Mr Davis's department will subsequently produce monthly "progress reports" to ensure each Government department is enacting the plans.

It comes amid mounting concern among Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers, including Michael Gove and Boris Johnson, that Whitehall is failing to do enough to prepare for Brexit.