Theresa May has not read of secret Brexit reports, says David Davis

Brexit Secretary claims the Prime Minister only looks at summaries

David Davis, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Reuters)

Theresa May has not read secret Whitehall reports that look into how Brexit will hit the economy, David Davis has said.

“She’ll know the summary outcomes of them,” the Brexit Secretary told a parliamentary committee meeting. “She won’t necessarily have read every single one, they are in excruciating detail.”

Asked whether the rest of the Cabinet had seen the fulll assessments, Mr Davis said they had also only read the summaries.

Labour MP Seema Malhotra who was questioning Mr Davis, called the revelation as “staggering”.

“We are on the brink of the biggest change to our country’s economy for generations,” she said. “It is staggering to hear David Davis suggest the Prime Minister has not even read the most important reports the Government has undertaken on the economic impact of Brexit.

“Theresa May has a responsibility to Parliament and the country to get Brexit right and ensure the ongoing prosperity of British businesses and families. The Prime Minister must clarify whether she has read the reports, or if David Davis is mistaken.”

The news comes as Tory rebels warned Mr Davis they were “deadly serious” about changing the government’s Brexit plans.

Ex-cabinet minister Nicky Morgan told the Brexit Secretary that Conservative rebels would not ease pressure on the Government to make a concession on enshrining the Brexit deal into law.

A Downing Street spokeperson told The Indepednent: "The Prime Minister is briefed on all aspects of government business, including of course, factors relating to Brexit."