Vladimir Putin appeared to throw down the gauntlet to British politicians to quit the European Union yesterday, questioning whether they would dare to deliver on the democratic mandate for Brexit that flows from last week’s EU referendum.

“We will see how their principles of democracy get realised in practice,” the Russian president said in an apparent expression of doubt that Britain’s political elite would follow through.

Mr Putin’s remarks came after days of discussions among disappointed ‘Remain’ supporters about the possibility of not ever invoking Article 50 proceedings to leave the EU, or signing a Norway-style trade deal that would mean accepting unrestrained EU migration.