Robert Buckland's pledge in the House of Commons that MPs would have a vote on whether to extend the implementation period of the Prime Minister's EU withdrawal agreement appeared to be contradicted by his cabinet colleague Michael Gove.

South Swindon MP Mr Buckland said parliament would "have its say on the merits of an extension" if a free trade agreement wasn't agree with the EU next year.

On Tuesday Mr Gove said there would be no extension, and MPs would not be able to vote on it.

Mr Buckland's spokesman said a vote would not be necessary: "Robert’s remarks in Parliament in October pointed to a scenario if a FTA hadn’t been negotiated by the end of the transition.

"What is clear is that we are not going to extend, we can get a FTA done in time and the people of South Swindon, and the UK more generally, can avoid being forced into any further, unnecessary dither and delay by voting for Robert Buckland in South Swindon to get a majority Conservative government which will ensure we get Brexit done.”