The Government will be putting communities and institutions at risk if it allows the UK to leave the EU without a deal, a leader in the Church of Scotland has said.

The Rev Dr Richard Frazer, convener of the Kirk's Church and Society Council said it was crucial that the UK seek a long extension to Article 50 in order to avoid leaving the EU without a deal. 

He said such a move risked alienating the UK's relationship with its "closest neighbours" and warned of "significant damage to our shared wellbeing". 

It would also leave the most vulnerable people in society worse off as a result of the predicted adverse effect on supplies of food and medicines, he said. 

Dr Frazer said the UK "needs more time" to find a way forward on "common ground" and explore its future relationship with the EU. 

In particular, he said it was necessary for the four nations of the UK to reach agreement on Brexit and "use whatever mechanisms are necessary" to buy more time in order to achieve this. 

"As the Prime Minister seeks a further extension to Article 50 we must recognise that it is not just within the UK Parliament where there is a lack of agreement, as a society, we are divided," he said. 

"Reconciling this divide requires a different approach; it will require time, humility and a willingness to listen and build consensus not just in Westminster but across our communities." 

He continued: "Crucially, we must avoid leaving the EU without a deal; to do so not only represents a loss of good faith with our closest neighbours on which we depend for our common good, but also would place many of our communities and institutions in harm's way."

He added: "To leave without a deal would be reckless not only in the short-term but would damage our ways of relating to one another for generations to come. This is not in anyone's interests, particularly in a world where many of the problems we face must be addressed together."