Brexit--
 Boris Johnson says it’s time to ‘get ready’ for no trade deal with EU

Published: 16 October 2020

Post Desk : Boris Johnson says it’s time to “get ready” for the prospect of no free trade deal with the EU on 1 January.

The prime minister claimed Brussels had “abandoned” the ambition but insisted “we always knew there would be changes” next year once the transition period ends “whatever type of relationship we had”.

Speaking from Downing Street after an EU summit both sides said was the deadline for hammering out a trade deal, Mr Johnson said it looked like the country was heading for what he called “the Australian solution”.

He suggested he is not completely walking away from negotiations, adding: “What we’re saying to them is come here, come to us, if there’s some fundamental change of approach.”

The UK left the EU on 31 January this year.

After that the country entered a transition period, following many of the same rules meaning there was no change to trade and tariffs or things like freedom of movement.

Negotiators have since been trying to hammer out a trade deal to come into force when that runs out at the end of December.