Boris Johnson admits Brexit trade deal 'looking very difficult' ahead of face-to-face talks

Boris Johnson has admitted a Brexit trade deal is “looking very difficult” ahead of face-to-face talks this week.

The Prime Minister had a lengthy phone call with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen yesterday, after which the pair confirmed a showdown in Brussels this week.

With the talks so far struggling to find a breakthrough, it is hoped the meeting can help negotiations that have missed the UK’s self-imposed deadlines of summer, October 15 and now last week.

Despite this, the PM on Tuesday admitted it was hard to see a breakthrough.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested "sweet reason" could help Britain land a Brexit deal

He said: “You’ve got to be optimistic, you’ve got to believe that the power of sweet reason [can] get this thing over the line.

“But I’ve got to tell you, it’s looking very, very difficult at the moment.

“I’m always hopeful, yes, I’m very hopeful, but I’ve got to be honest with you. I think that situation at the moment is very tricky.

“I think that our friends have just got to understand that the UK has left the European Union in order to be able to exercise democratic control over the way we do things.

"And then there’s also the issue of fisheries where we’re a long way apart still. But hope springs eternal and I’ll do my best to sort it out if we can.”

Mr Johnson said there "may come a moment when we have to acknowledge that it's time to draw stumps" and settle on a no-deal outcome.

The PM explained: “Everybody needs to understand that, on any view, there’s going to be change on January 1.

"And if we have to come out on Australian terms, as they are called, then we will make sure we that we look after everybody in this country, of course.

"But also we need to recognise that this is a big, big opportunity for this country, on any view, and, yes, we will be able to do things differently, but we will be able to do many things better as well.”

Despite the meeting, Brussels today made clear the meeting was not to negotiate, but to give Michel Barnier and David Frost some help.

The European Commission president's spokesman said: "The meeting will be to try and lift substantial impasses so that then the negotiators can continue their work."

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