Brexit news – latest: No-deal ‘very, very likely,’ Boris Johnson says as Merkel and Macron snub him

© Provided by The Independent ‘

Boris Johnson has said it is “very, very likely” that the UK will fail to strike a trade agreement with the European Union, raising the prospect of a no-deal Brexit at the end of this month.

Mr Johnson told reporters on a visit to Blyth in Northumberland that the government was “always hopeful” and that “we’ve got our teams still out there in Brussels”.

“But I’ve got to tell that from where I stand now, here in Blyth, it is looking very, very likely that we will have to go for a solution that I think would be wonderful for the UK … and come out on World Trade terms [with no deal].” 

It comes as EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen briefed EU leaders on Friday that a no-deal Brexit was the most likely outcome of negotiations, reportedly saying there was a “higher probability for no deal than [a] deal” following an all-night summit in Brussels.

An EU official has also confirmed that the prime minister’s attempt to have a three-way call between himself, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Angela Merkel was rejected by Brussels – after he said on Thursday night he was willing to “go to Brussels, go to Paris, go to Berlin, I will go to wherever to try and get this home and get a deal”.

‘Be careful what you wish for,’ warns last Australian PM over Brexit no-deal

SHARE

SHARE

TWEET

SHARE

EMAIL

Click to expand

UP NEXT