Johnson calls May's Brexit proposal a 'disaster' for Britain

Former British foreign secretary Boris Johnson has launched his most outspoken attack yet on Prime Minister Theresa May's proposals for Britain's exit from the European Union - Brexit - calling them a "disaster".

Writing in The Daily Telegraph newspaper, Johnson said her proposed negotiation position would mean the country had "gone into battle with the white flag fluttering over our leading tank".

Johnson is a longtime critic of May's handling of Brexit, having resigned from her cabinet in July, and the prime minister's office dismissed his criticism, saying his article contains "no new ideas to respond to", and instead defended her position by saying that "what we need at this time is serious leadership with a serious plan".