International Trade Secretary Liam Fox yet to seal a single free trade agreement in case of no-deal Brexit

The UK is yet to finalise any of the 40 free trade deals that the EU has with other big economies in case of a no-deal Brexit.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said he was hopeful of deals being done before the UK is due to leave the EU on March 29 but insisted it was not just dependent on Britain.

In 2017, Fox declared that the UK could "replicate the 40 free trade agreements before we leave the EU", in a bid to avoid trade disruption.

When asked on Friday whether Britain would be any closer to signing those 40 free trade deals, Fox told the BBC: "I hope they will be but they are not just dependent on the UK. Our side is ready.

"It's largely dependent on other whether countries believe that there will be no deal and are willing to put the work in to the preparations."

The Department for Trade said that a number of the deals were at an advanced stage but none of them have been rolled over to cover the UK after Brexit.

There is an initial agreement with Switzerland to maintain the same relationship that the EU holds with the country, but nothing has formally been signed.

Fox did sign a “mutual recognition agreement” with Australia on Friday, to maintain all the current relevant aspects that it has with the EU, but it is not a free trade deal.

He added that there would be a “pipeline of them to be signed as we go through" and claimed the deal with Australia would make it easier for UK exports to comply with Australian standards.

Fox also be rebuffed the notion of staying in the permanent customs arrangement with the EU as it would “not be delivering Brexit” and would not allow Britain to obtain an independent trade policy.