Alistair Carmichael has called for Boris Johnson to end the "Brexit melodrama" after he said the country must now prepare for a no deal scneario.
The MP for Orkney and Shetland said a no-deal Brexit would cost the UK approximately 8 per cent of long-term GDP, with agriculture one of the hardest-hit sectors.
He added that the latest developments showed the PM's incompetence, and said Mr Johnson was just adding additional stress to the UK public at a time when they are dealing with the pandemic and economic fall out.
The Prime Minister said this mroning that the country had to prepare to end the transition period with an 'Australia'style' deal, meaning no formal deal at all with the EU.
It comes after a summit in Brussels this week which was supposed to signify a ramping-up of trade talks, but appears to have ended in failure.
Read more: No Deal: Boris Johnson warns UK must "prepare for the alternative"
Mr Carmichael said: "To go from oven-ready to no deal in less than nine months suggests utter incompetence from the Prime Minister and his government.
"We were told this would be the easiest trade deal in history – the bar was set low and somehow Boris Johnson has still failed to get over it.
"People are sick and tired of this Brexit melodrama from the government. The deal was supposed to be done months ago and with the pandemic back at the top of our priorities we cannot afford these distractions.
"Does Johnson really think people want to have to worry about a no deal scenario on top of everything else we are dealing with?"
He continued: "Many will suspect that this is yet more bluster from a feckless Prime Minister who has never planned more than five minutes ahead and now seeks to blame anyone else he can point to.
"He chose the deadline – he chose to pick needless fights over the Withdrawal Agreement he signed. The buck stops with him and it is his government we shall hold to account if we crash out."
Earlier today the Prime Minister's spokesman said the trade talks were now "over" as the EU had refused to change its position.
He also said there was "no point" in chief negotiator Michel Barnier visiting london next week unless he was prepared to "substantially" change his position.
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