UK ‘won’t accept unbalanced deal’

The European Union must recognise that the UK will not sign up to the conditions it is seeking as part of a proposed trade deal, Downing Street said.

With the fourth round of talks beginning today, Number 10 accused Brussels of insisting on an “unbalanced” set of demands.

Time is running short to make progress on a trade deal ahead of Boris Johnson attending a high-level summit later this month which could be make or break for the process.

The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier used a Sunday Times interview to accuse the UK of failing to meet commitments agreed with Brussels.

But the prime minister’s official spokesman accused the EU of insisting on restrictions on the UK’s freedom to diverge from Brussels rules which were not set out in the joint Political Declaration.