More controversy erupted today over the “shipping company with no ships” awarded a £14 million Brexit contract when it was claimed it had cut and pasted a food delivery website’s legal terms.

Seaborne Freight’s website contains a page of “terms and conditions” that refer to the delivery of meals and the responsibility of customers to give drivers the correct address.

Baffled MPs said the only explanation appeared to be that the company had copied the legal text from a template and inserted its own name into it.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson mocked the company on Twitter, writing: “Seaborne Freight. No ships, no trading history and website T&Cs copied and pasted from a takeaway delivery site…”

The Evening Standard attempted to contact the firm on the two telephone numbers it lists on the website, but calls were greeted by a recorded message stating: “There is currently no one available to take your call.”

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling was this week forced to defend his decision to award a contract for shipping goods after Brexit to the company when it was revealed it did not own any ferries and has never previously operated a ferry route. “I make no apologies for supporting a new British business,” he told BBC radio, adding: “We have put in place a tight contract to make sure they can deliver for us.”

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