The minister’s comment prompted anger from the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who recently called for the UK to join a new customs deal with the EU, allowing tariff- free trade between the two blocs.

It would also restrict the UK’s ability to strike trade deals with other countries.

Sir Ed accused the government of an “act of economic negligence,” adding: “It is alarming that the government is happy to negotiate with China but won’t even look at a better trading arrangement with our closest neighbours in Europe.

“It is time for a proper UK-EU customs arrangement so we can strengthen our negotiations with Donald Trump, cut the red tape on our businesses and grow the economy.”

Speaking in the Commons, Conservative shadow cabinet office minister Alex Burghart said Mr Sefcovic was “a better guide to what is going on than the British government”.

Another Conservative MP, John Cooper, said joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention would turn the UK “once again into rule-takers and not rule-makers”.

He asked Thomas-Symonds to rule out signing up to an agreement that could see the UK “taking EU rules” and instead “strike out in the world and do new deals with America and around the Pacific-Rim”.

The minister replied that it was not a “binary choice” and the government would not “choose between allies. We look to deepen all our relationships.”