One Tory MP accused Michel Barnier of wanting to punish the UK after he raised questions about the feasibility of the proposals

Theresa May’s plan for a customs deal with Brussels would leave the rest of Europe wide open to fraud, the EU’s chief negotiator claimed yesterday.

Responding for the first time to the government’s Brexit white paper, Michel Barnier questioned whether many of the proposals were legally or practically feasible.

In particular he criticised the central British plan for a facilitated customs arrangement where the UK would collect tariffs on behalf of the EU on goods destined for the continent but remain free to charge a lower tariff if they were intended for the UK.

This would allow the UK to strike free trade deals with other countries while avoiding border checks at ports such as Calais and on the Irish border.

This, Mr Barnier suggested,