Such a move by Boris Johnson would be a significant departure from policy forged by Theresa May last year.

The PM’s predecessor said checks and tarrifs would be waived for 87% of goods coming from the bloc.

But now Whitehall has allegedly been told to get ready for a much tougher strategy designed as leverage against Brussels.

A senior source told the Telegraph: ‘We are planning full checks on all EU imports – export declarations, security declarations, animal health checks and all supermarket goods to pass through border inspection posts.

‘This will double the practical challenge at the border in January 2021.’

Businesses will reportedly be informed of the new policy on February 10, the newspaper reports.

If put into place, the policy would include checks on paperwork for imports and physical examinations of a number of food products, including beef and dairy from Ireland.

This could be a way of strong arming the EU into allowing better trade access without being bound to the bloc’s rules.

Last month Chancellor Sajid Javid said there would be no regulatory alignment, which he accepted could lead to price hikes.

He urged businesses to ‘adjust’ to the change but insisted the economy would thrive in the long-run.

Britain officially left the European Union at 11pm last night, after three-and-a-half years since the 2016 referendum and the political turmoil that followed.

The UK is now at a ‘turning point’ as it enters an 11-month transition period in which Johnson hopes to thrash out a free trade agreement.

Speaking yesterday the PM said: ‘Let us come together now to make the most of all the opportunities Brexit will bring – and let’s unleash the potential of the whole UK.’