Liam Fox attacks BBC over EU coverage, saying corporation would rather "Britain fail than see Brexit succeed"

Dr Fox unleashed his attack on the BBC during Commons exchanges when concerns were raised about how negative media coverage was undermining his efforts to make trade deals with countries outside the EU.

His Tory colleague Nigel Evans, the former deputy Speaker, said during trade questions: “The potential for trade with Commonwealth countries is very exciting, growing economies, strong economies but every time I open a newspaper or listen to the radio or TV, the story is done very negatively, almost as if it's going to be impossible for us to do these trade deals.

"Do you feel that is both wrong and undermines the work that you are doing?"

The secretary of state replied: "It does appear that some elements of our media would rather see Britain fail than see Brexit succeed.

"I cannot recall a single time in recent times when I have seen good economic news that the BBC didn't describe as 'despite Brexit'."

His comments came after Andrea Leadsom, the Commons leader, who was a prominent Leave campaigner, called for broadcasters to be "a bit patriotic" during an interview with BBC Newsnight last month.

Asked about Dr Fox’s attack on the BBC, Theresa May’s spokesman said: “Ministers and MPs will always have their views. It’s a matter for newspapers, broadcasters and others to determine the tone and content of their coverage.”

Asked if it was unpatriotic to be critical of the Brexit process, he replied: “I have just answered the question.”

However, Dr Fox came under fire from his political opponents.

Labour veteran Barry Sheerman said it was a "silly attack" on the BBC and called for the minister to resign amid claims he had lost the confidence of manufacturers for "living in cloud cuckoo land" over Britain's future.

For the Liberal Democrats, Alistair Carmichael, described Dr Fox’s attack on the media as “dangerous” and a “misplaced intervention”.

He urged his fellow Scot to get on with the work of Government rather than trying to deflect from the failings of his own department.

“It is extraordinary,” declared the former Scottish secretary, “that Mr Fox feels it is appropriate to attack the media. He looks like Donald Trump without the perma-tan. He may of course be trying to distract us from the official data today that shows the number of jobs created by foreign investment fell by nine per cent last year."

Dr Fox also took a swipe at others when responding to a question about global trade deals.

He said: "It's not just about exports, it's also about inward investment.”

He went on: "I can bring the House up to date that at 9.30 this morning we published figures that showed a record-breaking number of foreign direct investment projects came in to the UK in 2016/17, at 2,265, and that's safeguarding nearly 108,000 jobs or creating new jobs in the UK.

"No doubt the usual suspects will describe it as 'despite Brexit'."

Meanwhile, Tory sources suggested Mr Cameron was privately pressing MPs to support a soft Brexit with Britain rejoining the European Free Trade Association.

This would mean that the country could become a partial member of the single market along the lines of Norway or Switzerland.

It was suggested the former PM had been telephoning a number of Conservative MPs, promoting the idea.

However, such a proposal is likely only to widen the rift within Tory ranks as Leavers will insist this would mean Britain still being tied to the EU through the single market over which it would have no control and would have to pay an annual fee for membership.

Asked about Mr Cameron’s reported view, the PM’s spokesman said he had not seen any direct comments from the former Tory leader. “We have set out our plan in Lancaster House and in the Brexit paper and that remains our plan,” he added.