Britain has been warned it could face legal action if trade talks began before Brexit

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The increasingly bitter wrangling between the UK and Brussels following the Brexit referendum was exposed in legal advice sent to International Trade Secretary Liam Fox.

The documents warn there is a "high risk" of Britain being taken to court by the European Commission if it began talking to countries already negotiating with the EU before Brexit was finalised.

Individual nations could also take out separate law suits in retaliation, potentially resulting in Britain having to pay out huge fines.

The document, seen by the Sunday Times, says: "The [European] Commission has argued that this [Brexit] means we cannot launch negotiations, bilaterally or at the World Trade Organisation."