Royal Mail has been attacked by the Government for its “premature” decision not to print stamps to Britain’s historic exit from the European Union in 15 months' time.

One Cabinet minister last night urged a rethink while senior Tory MPs said it was “absolutely outrageous” that the national postal service is not commemorating Brexit with a series of stamps.

However Remain campaigners backed the decision saying that Royal Mail was right that it was not intending to mark “Brexit day” because it will be “a day of mourning, not celebration”.

Last night MPs said they would be complaining to the Government about the decision while others pledged to quiz Royal Mail executives when they appeared in front of them in Parliament.

The news comes as millions of people buy stamps to send Christmas cards to friends and family.

Royal Mail regularly prints stamps to mark national moments and people's achievements.

In the past 12 months it has issued stamps marking the albums of David Bowie, famous race horses like Red Rum and Frankel and characters from the Mr and Mrs books, including Mr Happy, Mr Bump and Little Miss Naughty.

Royal Mail produced stamps to mark the UK joining the European Economic Community - which later became the EU - in 1973, showing a Union-Jack emblazoned UK jigsaw piece slotting into a bigger European puzzle.