Britain could face a crippling shortage of fish and chips, the national dish, if there is a no deal Brexit, EU officials warned yesterday.

As things stand, EU boats will lose access to British waters and vice versa, if there is a no deal Brexit on April 12.

Brussels wants Britain to agree a short-term emergency fix giving the EU fleet guaranteed access to British waters until 2019 .

But that could prove politically toxic for the prime minister, who has promised to make Britain as an independent coastal state, and Britain has given no formal signal to the EU over its intentions.

An EU official said that Britain could soon run out of white fish such as haddock and cod, which are the most popular types for the traditional British chippy, if relations broke down into a "no meal" Brexit.

The official said: "Currently the UK consumes more white fish than it catches in its waters and could catch in its waters.

"Any fish the UK doesn’t catch it will have to import and that will become a trade issue."