The BBC host claimed Jeremy Hunt will “likely go for an extension”, with Liam Fox contending Mr Hunt would leave with no deal if no agreement is made by the end of October. The International Trade Secretary also outlined his three reasons for deciding to back the Tory leadership candidate over rival Boris Johnson. Andrew Marr said: “There’s almost no time to do a proper renegotiation before the end of October, and you yourself have said unequivocally that you are completely against an extension. And yet you are now backing a candidate who is likely to go for an extension. That seems extraordinary.”

Mr Fox responded: “Well I didn’t say that Jeremy was likely to go for an extension nor has he.

“What I said is, if we haven’t got an agreement before the time we get to the end of October, if we can’t get an agreement with the EU, we can’t get an agreement we can get through Parliament, he said with a heavy heart we’ll have to leave with no deal.”

Earlier in the show Mr Fox stated his reasons for backing Mr Hunt, explaining: “We have to find a way of getting that agreement through Parliament.

“Without a withdrawal agreement for example, there’s no implementation period to do anything at all. That’s one reason, secondly I think that he as an entrepreneur understands small business.

Yet you are now backing a candidate who is likely to go for an extension. That seems extraordinary

Andrew Marr

“I think to win a general election, the Tory Party needs to be the party of small business. We have to be the party of every white van man and woman, every corner shop owner, every small business owner.

“Thirdly, I think that he understands another issue which you know is important to me, which is the armed forces and our veterans. Coming from an armed forces family, Jeremy has that experience.”

During the interview Mr Fox also told Boris Johnson to come clean about his row with girlfriend Carrie Symonds.

He said: “It’s always easier to just give an explanation.”

Saturday marked the first of 16 hustings between Mr Johnson and Mr Hunt as the candidates faced Tory members in Birmingham.

They will head south for the next grilling on Thursday.

In the meantime, Team Boris will look to regain the initiative after latest polls showed Mr Hunt would make the best prime minister according to a survey of the general population.

Mr Hunt won by 32 percent compared to Mr Johnson’s 29 percent – a swing of 11 points following the police call.

But the Survation poll said Boris still has an 11 point lead over Conservative voters when asked who would be best in Number 10.

Last night, aides of Mr Johnson claimed the call to police was a left-wing “stitch up” by neighbours. However, the neighbours say they had genuine concerns over “safety and welfare”.

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