Politics

Boris Johnson, on the other hand, has reportedly moaned to friends that he “can’t afford to be prime minister”.

Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “I fear it is absolutely classic from the socialists – they don’t have any confidence in their own voters."

The latest citizen to speak out about their experience is an Italian woman, who said she was “taken to prison” and she “burst into tears”.

"The truth is", she said, "most people don't read manifestos."

An EU official told Reuters that France had "made a link" between a post-Brexit financial services deal and the fishing row.

"If you have a CCJ, you’re not allowed to buy a sofa on credit from DFS. But it’s fine for you to have final say over the purse strings of an entire country."

Official records showed an “unsatisfied record” for the unpaid debt was registered to Johnson at “10 Downing Street”, with the judgment dated 26 October last year.

The trade blow in February alone was estimated at £11.5 billion by the Centre for European Reform.

The debate flared up earlier this week after John Bercow hit out at Susanna Reid for using the moniker.