Brexit news latest: Tory leadership hopeful Sajid Javid reveals he is ‘not afraid’ to take UK out of EU without a deal

Sajid Javid has said he is “not afraid” of taking Britain out of the EU without a deal despite warnings that it would be disastrous for British business.

Tory leadership hopeful has set out his plans to tackle the inevitable challenges facing Theresa May’s successor, ruling out holding a second referendum, an early general election or revoking Article 50.

Writing in the Daily Mail, the Home Secretary said: “The voters have been asked their opinion more than enough times. Never in this country’s history have we asked people to go to the polls a second time without implementing their verdict from the first.

“Another vote before we leave would be disastrous for trust in politics, and cause the kind of chaos that risks handing Jeremy Corbyn and his hard-left supporters the keys to No 10.”

Mr Javid vowed to ramp up preparations for a no-deal Brexit because “we have to accept the reality of our situation”.

This would include drawing up a “bold” no-deal Budget, and showing the EU that Britain is not afraid of walking away from negotiations.

But Mr Javid said he will still work to secure a deal and promises to focus efforts on working with Ireland to amend the backstop and come up with a “credible solution”.

“I would take every step possible to ensure we leave with a deal by October 31,” he said.

But he added: “If we cannot get a deal, we should, with great regret, leave without one, having done everything we can to minimise disruption.”

Mr Javid is among a crowded field in the race to replace Mrs May, with other contenders including fellow cabinet ministers Jeremy Hunt, Rory Stewart and Michael Gove.

On Friday, former chief whip Mark Harper became the latest to announce his intention to stand for the top job after Mrs May resigns as Tory leader on June 7.

All the candidates have been warned of the dangers of a no-deal Brexit by the Confederation of British Industry.

The organisation’s director-general Carolyn Fairbairn used an open letter to say the next prime minister must seek an agreement with Brussels as the “vast majority of firms can never be prepared for no-deal”.

She said: “The next prime minister can only claim the Conservatives are the party of business if they secure a Brexit deal that protects the economy, jobs and living standards.

“Firms large and small are clear that leaving the EU with a deal is the best way forward.

“Short-term disruption and long-term damage to British competitiveness will be severe if we leave without one.

“The vast majority of firms can never be prepared for no-deal, particularly our SME (small and medium enterprise) members who cannot afford complex and costly contingency plans.

“We need compromise, consensus and honesty to resolve the Brexit impasse, quickly.”