The FT said that Britain had started informal talks about joining the bloc in a bid to boost post-Brexit exports. Although the United States pulled out of the talks to form the bloc nearly a year ago, other TPP countries have pledged to move forward with plans for a trade group.

The TPP has so far involved only countries around the Pacific Rim such as Japan, Canada and Mexico. However, junior trade minister Greg Hands said there was no geographical restriction that would prevent Britain’s participation.

“Nothing is excluded in all of this,” he told the Financial Times. “With these kind of plurilateral relationships, there doesn’t have to be any geographical restriction.”

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