British farmers and manufacturers are at risk of being left defenceless against a flood of cheap imports in the event of a no-deal Brexit, The Daily Telegraph can reveal, amid growing concerns that the Government may struggle to pass legislation to cushion a hard exit from the EU.

Incoming ministers in Boris Johnson’s administration are being told that unless they can pass specific new laws through a hostile House of Commons, the UK will have no legal basis on which to levy protective tariffs in the event of a no deal.

Trade experts and farming pressure groups warned that failure to pass the necessary legislation would leave UK farmers and industry “defenceless” against waves of cheap global food ­imports and predatory “dumping" of steel and other commodities.

The growing alarm inside Whitehall comes as the Government prepares to table a series of “statutory instruments” to enable tariffs to be levied, all of which will need to be approved in a vote in the Commons.

It is not clear if MPs will be prepared to back the measures and potentially facilitate a no-deal Brexit, with the votes providing them a fresh opportunity to frustrate the Johnson administration’s strategy.

One senior rebel MP who has campaigned against Brexit said it was “far from certain” the vote would pass.