Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron hardly mentioned Brexit by name in a speech in St Albans today, but its presence could not be ignored in everything he said about business.

His party has pledged to hold a second referendum on the Brexit decision and might be expected to target MP Anne Main’s seat after she voted out while the majority of her constituents voted to remain.

While he hardly used the word Brexit in his discussion on business, its presence was implicit in all his statements.

He was joined by the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Daisy Cooper, although she did not speak to the press.

Speaking to press and passers-by outside the National Pharmacy Association in St Peters Street, Mr Farron said: “We have a government that’s taking us out of the single market towards the hardest version of Brexit.

“And however you voted last year, it was truly not on the ballot paper to rip up our relationship with Europe and to rip up our prosperity here at home.

“That hardest version of Brexit is something that British people did not vote for – I know they didn’t vote for it because they were never even asked. So, it is wrong for our Government to make this choice.

“They are not enacting the will of the people, they are, if I’m being generous, interpreting the will of the people and twisting the results of that referendum.”

Throughout, Farron focused his attention on business owners and used the speech to urge directors to ditch the Conservative Party.

He said: “Many of you will have voted for the Cameron, pro-market, free trade, liberal-ish Conservative party in the last election but what the Conservative party has become is protectionist, isolationist, anti-free trade and as much an enemy to business as Jeremy Corbyn.

“So I call on businesses to do the wise, pragmatic, thing - back the Lib Dems and dump the Tory Party.

“Businesses large and small around the country, this is the day we need to realise, that if you’re giving a penny to the Tory party, you’re funding your own funeral. Britain’s future is based on Britain’s businesses.”