Nigel Farage, at the European Commission with Michel Barnier, right, in April last year. He claimed that Mr Barnier has almost encouraged terrorism in Northern Ireland

Nigel Farage has claimed that Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, “would like the IRA to become active again”.

The former Ukip leader also accuses the former French foreign minister of “almost encouraging Republican terrorism” in an interview with The Times.

Mr Farage awards a sarcastic “full marks” to the negotiator for exploiting the issue of the Irish border to the EU’s advantage in Brexit talks.

Theresa May says that she softened her Brexit stance and is seeking to keep Britain in parts of the single market to honour her commitment to avoid a hard border and to protect the Union.

Opponents of her Chequers deal insist that difficulties have been exaggerated. Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary, said that disproportionate weight had been