Brussels could end up having to pay Britain a Brexit divorce bill because the UK has contributed to so many EU assets, Boris Johnson has suggested, as he accused Europe of wanting to “bleed this country white”.

In his first major interview of the election campaign, the Foreign Secretary said there were “very good arguments” to why Britain should demand money back, adding that EU leaders were “trying it on”.

He said Britain could leave the EU without paying a penny if there was no Brexit deal, and compared warnings about a “no deal” Brexit to the unfounded fears over the non-existent millennium bug in 1999.

He also said there is a “realistic possibility” of Vladimir Putin trying to sabotage the general election, adding that the Russian president would “rejoice” if Jeremy Corbyn won on June 8.