Rishi Sunak refuses to accept Brexit has damaged trade

Trade secretary had dismissed predictions by Office for Budget Responsibility

Rishi Sunak has refused to accept Brexit has damaged the UK's trade with other countries – despite the government's own figures showing a sharp drop.

The prime minister was pressed on the issue in the House of Commons on Wednesday after one of Mr Sunak's Cabinet ministers rejected evidence from the government's economic watchdog.

Kemi Badenoch, the trade secretary, said earlier this month that the government did not believe the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecasts on the matter and took different view.