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In a letter to the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Michael Gove, the Mayor of London criticised the government for “putting dogma ahead of the national interest”. The letter dated June 1 was posted on social media by Mr Tice.

Mr Khan’s letter calls for the government to extend the Brexit transition period with the EU despite the Prime Minister repeatedly ruling out any delay.

Posting the letter on Twitter, Mr Tice launched an attack at Mr Khan claiming he has bankrupted Transport for London (TfL) and now wants the UK to take on billions of EU bills.

Mr Tice wrote: “Fresh from bankrupting TfL, needing Govt. bailout even without COVID, Sadiq Khan wants to expose UK to £100s billions of EU bills and liabilities.

“He is clear and present danger to London and UK finances.

“The UK voted overwhelmingly in the general election to leave and not extend transition Sadiq.”

The UK formally left the EU on January 31 and at that point, there was an agreement over the terms for its departure from the bloc.

The government has until the end of this year to negotiate an agreement on future ties or start 2021 without a trade agreement, which some businesses say could cause costly delays and confusion at borders.

But Mr Khan believes due to the ongoing battle with the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, the last thing the country needs is “more chaos and uncertainty”.

He wrote in his letter: “Most Londoners will be deeply disappointed that at a time of crisis, the government is putting dogma ahead of the national interest.

“No one anticipated when voting for Brexit that the key negotiations would take place at a time when all governments are rightly focused on fighting a global pandemic.

“The last thing the country needs as it tries to find a way back from the devastation wreaked by coronavirus is more chaos and uncertainty.”

He went on to urge the government to stop putting “political ideologies” first and focus on pursuing the “pragmatic route” of extending negotiations.

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Mr Khan added: “COVID-19 is the biggest health, social and economic emergency we have faced since the Second World War.

“Further disruption, in the form of tariffs, red tape and new immigration rules when we leave the single market and customs union at the end of the year, would be needless and hazardous.

“Close regulatory alignment with the EU has never been more vital to protect our economy and support its recovery from the impacts of COVID-19.”

Mr Khan argued negotiations are unlikely to “progress towards meaningful results” due to outbreak of coronavirus and said an extension is “urgently needed”.

He said: “The government’s negotiations with the EU and other countries are highly unlikely to progress towards meaningful results and agreements while the pandemic continues.

“An extension to the transition period is now urgently needed to give businesses and public services some certainty that they won’t face the threat of another cliff edge in six months’ time.

“Otherwise the government risks undermining the unprecedented steps it has taken to protect jobs and livelihood, by prolonging uncertainty about our economy and the terms on which future trade will be conducted.”

His comments come days after a proposal to extend the Brexit transition period was slammed as “despicable” by a DUP MP.

The Northern Ireland Assembly debated a proposal, submitted by the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), last week calling for the UK government to extend the Brexit period due to the ongoing pandemic.

But Sammy Wilson, the Brexit spokesperson for the DUP, dismissed the debate saying it won’t matter since Westminster will decide whether or not to extend Brexit.

Mr Wilson slammed the SDLP proposal calling it “despicable” for “trying to use the health crisis as a means to pursue their political agenda on Europe”.

He told the News Letter: “First of all, I’m not surprised at all by the SDLP for the simple reason that the SDLP don’t want us to leave the European Union and will use every excuse to try and find a way of stopping us.

“What I find particularly despicable is that they are trying to use the health crisis that we are facing as a means to pursue their political agenda on Europe.

“Secondly, not only is it a political move, but it is also an illogical move.

“What do you gain by delaying? The most urgency you put into this the more likely it is that you will get the EU to move in the negotiations.”

Brexit talks between the UK and the EU restart again this week via video link between David Frost, the UK’s chief negotiator, and his Brussels counterpart, Michel Barnier.

The UK has until the end of the month to request an extension to the transition period with the EU – but Mr Johnson has repeatedly ruled out any delay.

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