Time running out on Brexit deal

There are still “big differences” preventing a trade deal between the EU and UK, the European Commission president has said following talks with Boris Johnson.

Ursula von der Leyen spoke with the prime minister over the phone on Thursday evening, when the pair “took stock” of negotiations, which have been continuing throughout the week up against a new deadline.

But there was no sign of a breakthrough as she warned that bringing the divide, particularly on fishing, would be “very challenging”.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister had underlined during the conversation that talks were “now in a serious situation” and that it “now looked very likely that agreement would not be reached unless the EU position changed substantially”.