Theresa May has abandoned plans for another speech on Brexit to avoid splitting the Conservative Party

Theresa May has abandoned preparations for a third high-profile speech on Brexit for fear of widening cabinet splits over Britain’s future relationship with the EU.

The prime minister had planned to provide more detail of the so-called “end state” in an address next month on the same scale as those given at Lancaster House and in Florence.

Downing Street has called a halt to the preparations, however, fuelling fears that differences in her cabinet are irreconcilable. One senior figure warned that “the concrete is setting”.

Philip Hammond risked further fracturing the fragile Tory truce on Europe when he called for the UK to seek a “middle way” in Brexit talks, adding that there were camps on both sides of the debate opposing a pragmatic approach.