Earlier this month, the EU's top court ruled that the British government may reverse its decision to leave the bloc without consulting other member states. Any extension of Article 50, however, would require the agreement of the rest of the EU.

Asked by a lawmaker if there were circumstances in which the government might revoke Article 50 as a de facto extension while it prepared for a no deal Brexit or sought a better deal from the EU, Barclay said: "What the court case was clear (about) is one can't revoke as a temporary measure."