Minister issues thinly veiled hint that civil servants are purposely drawing up gloomy economic forecasts in a bid to keep the UK in the customs union amid fears May is 'going soft on Brexit'

Brexit Minister Steve Baker told MPs that he had been told the 'extraordinary' claim by Charles Grant from the respected Centre for European Reform think-tank. The revelation comes maid fears that Theresa May is 'going soft on Brexit' and getting ready to change her position and keep the UK in the EU customs union. 

Speaking in the House of Commons today, Tory darling Jacob Rees-Mogg raised Mr Grant's warning that 'officials in the Treasury have deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union were bad and that officials intended to use this to influence policy'.

He added: 'If this is correct, does he share my view that it goes against the spirit of the Northcote rebellion reforms that underpin our independent civil service?'