Boris is preparing the country for its divorce from Brussels by committing more staff to the region to retain diplomatic relations and funding the new roles by making savings across Asia and the Americas.

Caroline Wilson, the Foreign Office Europe Director, told the Commons Foreign Affairs committee there had been a “big network shift to emerging market economies, including India and China” in recent years.

She went on to say the shift in focus had led to a decrease in diplomatic efforts in Europe and that the planned changes would “redressing the balance”.

Sir Alan Duncan, Minister of State for Europe, added: “We are developing proposals for making savings across Asia-Pacific, south Asia and Afghanistan, the Americas and Africa to release about £4.2 million worth of savings to fund these 50 new jobs.”

The Foreign Secretary has faced criticism that he has back-tracked on his pledge of promoting a “global Britain” as the increase in staff in Europe will be funded by a decrease in staff in other areas such as America and Asia.

Writing for the Express shortly after becoming Foreign Secretary, the former London Mayor said: “We should think of ourselves once again as a truly Global Britain using our unique voice – humane, compassionate, principled – to do good around the world, and to exploit growth markets to the full.”

But, despite the claims, the Government has also sought to increase the number of negotiators working n trade deals with the rest of the world.

Meanwhile the ambassadors in Malta, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Slovakia will see their maximum salary rise from £68,539 to £117,800 in recognition for their likely increase in responsibility post-Brexit.

The increase in the UK’s diplomatic presence in Europe highlights that Boris Johnson’s department is gearing up for Brexit by preparing for less representation in the EU and the need for alternative channels of communication.

Article 50 procedures will see Britain leave the Brussels bloc in March 2019.

Plans for a transition period afterwards would likely see the country lose its say in any EU decisions, meaning that diplomatic relations between the UK and EU states would have to increase.

Britain’s drive to turbocharge its global trade links after Brexit has passed a crucial milestone with more than 100 experienced trade negotiators hired at a key ministry to strike new deals around the world.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said the recruitment meant the UK was ready to take full advantage of the opportunities of breaking free from the European Union.

Since Britain joined the EU it has relied on Brussels negotiators to make trade agreements on the bloc's behalf.

But Dr Fox has told the Daily Express he now has more than 100 people on his team with direct experience of trade talks in a range of different EU and other international institutions.

He said: said: "We have reached a milestone and this means we are ready to take advantage of the opportunities to grow our trade relationships across the world and negotiate trade agreements that benefit the whole of the UK.

"Not only does my team have experience of working within key multilateral organisations, including the World Trade Organisation, the EU and the United Nations, we have also people with experience from across the private sector.

"We are geared up to negotiate deals that deliver benefits to all sizes and sectors of business, from all areas of the UK, which will result in jobs, growth and savings for consumers throughout Great Britain."