Carolyn Fairbairn of the CBI wants companies to “take more pride” in the British brand

Business leaders will attack ministers’ “lack of focus” on trade today as they launch a fresh attempt to make their voices heard in Whitehall as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.

Senior chief executives are to join a new council, established to help the government to “get this right”, as Brexit negotiations continue and as officials draw up plans for trade deals with the the United States, Australia and New Zealand and others.

Liam Fox, the trade secretary, will attend the first meeting of the council, which is being convened by the CBI, next week.

Carolyn Fairbairn, the lobby group’s director-general, will call on ministers to do more to help prospective exporters. In a speech at the International Festival of Business in Liverpool later,