Prime minister Boris Johnson promises he will never delay Britain’s exit from the European Union, due on October 31, saying he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than do so.

But progress in passing a bill to stop a no-deal Brexit in parliament has been called a “chink of light” for UK business, by Confederation of British Industry (CBI) chief Carolyn Fairbairn.

Yesterday the pound hit its highest level in five weeks against the US dollar on as investors reacted to the diminishing likelihood of a no-deal Brexit.