BREXIT negotiations are a behind-closed-doors “stitch-up which hasn’t even been stitched up yet”, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron told supporters yesterday.

Mr Farron said the fate of the country would be resolved by politicians and not the people following Theresa May’s apparently disastrous weekend dinner with Jean-Claude Juncker.

The Lib Dem leader ruled out a progressive alliance saying he could not work with a leader who had backed hard Brexit and said his party was the only credible opposition.

Asked by The Argus whether young voters could trust the party after broken promises on tuition fees, Mr Farron said the Lib Dems would be the only party standing up for young people in the upcoming election.

Mr Farron reiterated his party’s call for a second referendum with voters given the choice to back the terms of Brexit or a return to the EU. He was cheered by around 30 Lib Dem supporters on Cliffe High Street bridge in glorious spring sunshine yesterday morning to launch Kelly-Marie Blundell’s campaign.

He received a warm reception of a different kind from one cycling Labour supporter who asked him for a manifesto before heckling “there are lots of gays in Lewes, Tim”.

The party’s campaign has been distracted by the born-again evangelical Christian’s refusal to be drawn on whether homosexuality was a sin.

Mr Farron ruled out working in a coalition with Jeremy Corbyn, saying the election would be a coronation for Theresa May, but said he was willing to work with some of the party’s “sensible backbenchers”.

He added: “Theresa May already has a mandate, Labour gave her a mandate when they voted through Article 50. How can you have a progressive alliance with someone who isn’t progressive, with someone who voted for hard Brexit.”

Ms Blundell said: “Jeremy Corbyn has given Theresa May a blank cheque on Europe. “Why would we go into partnership with someone who doesn’t stand up for the fundamental Liberal Democrat core value of being pro-European.”

On the issue of young voters, Mr Farron said: “At the end of the day, they [young voters] will have to put up for 50 years with a stitch up that hasn’t even been stitched up yet. They woke up on June 24 feeling like the rest of the country had done them a massive disservice and we will be standing up for those young people.”