Boris Johnson has said a no-deal outcome from Brexit trade talks is "looking very, very likely" ahead of Sunday's deadline for a decision on the negotiations.
The prime minister, speaking on a visit to Blyth in Northumberland on Friday, suggested a breakthrough in the deadlocked talks would need a "big offer, a big change" from the EU, but that he had "yet to see it".
Mr Johnson outlined a Brussels demand for a "kind of ratchet clause" on so-called level playing field provisions, as well as fisheries, as the two roadblocks to a post-Brexit trade deal being agreed.
"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 we'd be able to do exactly what we want from 1 January," the prime minister said.
"It obviously would be different from what we'd set out to achieve but I have no doubt this country can get ready and, as I say, come out on World Trade terms."
Mr Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have set Sunday as a deadline for deciding whether a post-Brexit trade agreement will be possible.
Earlier on Friday, Ms von der Leyen said the UK and EU "remain apart on fundamental issues" as she spoke after a two-day summit of EU leaders in Brussels.
Ms von der Leyen was earlier said to have spoken for less than 10 minutes about the deadlocked negotiations as she addressed EU leaders at their gathering in the Belgian capital.
One EU official revealed she had told the bloc's 27 leaders that "the probability of a no deal is higher than of a deal", it was reported by the Reuters news agency.
The pound dipped by a cent against the US dollar on the latest Brexit developments on Friday morning.
Sterling fell below $1.32 to hit its lowest level since mid-November, and was also down nearly a cent against the euro to slip below €1.09 and reach its lowest level since September.
Speaking at a post-summit news conference, Ms von der Leyen said that "positions remain apart on fundamental issues".
On level playing field commitments, the EU chief said the bloc's negotiators had "repeatedly made clear to our UK partners that the principle of fair competition is a pre-condition to privileged access to the EU market".
Mr Johnson has accused the EU - under the terms of a trade deal - of wanting the "automatic right" to punish the UK in the future, perhaps with tariffs, if it does not comply with new EU laws.
Ms von der Leyen said the UK would "remain free, sovereign if you wish, to decide what they want to do".
But she added the EU would "simply adapt the conditions for access to our market accordingly to the decision of the UK, and this would apply vice versa".
The European Commission president said the EU and UK had also not yet "found the solutions to bridge our differences" on post-Brexit fishing rights.
"We understand that the UK aspires to control its waters," she added.
"The UK must, on the other hand, understand the legitimate expectations of EU fishing fleets - built on decades and sometimes centuries of access."
Reiterating that there are now just two days for UK and EU officials to make a breakthrough, she added: "On these and other points, our negotiators are working.
"We will decide on Sunday whether we have the conditions for an agreement or not."
With the Brexit transition period due to end on 31 December, Ms von der Leyen told the news conference: "One way or the other, in less than three weeks, it will be new beginnings for old friends."
The European Commission on Thursday offered a series of short-term mini-deals in the event of a no-deal outcome from trade negotiations, with the aim to keep planes flying, lorries moving and allow fishing boats to carry on working.
However, this risked provoking a fresh fishing row with Britain over the proposal for a year-long period for EU fishing boats to continue working in UK waters, on a reciprocal basis.
Asked in Brussels on Friday whether this was akin to "having your cake and eating it", French President Emmanuel Macron replied: "I'm not asking to have my cake and eat it, no.
"All I want is a cake that's worth its weight. Because I won't give up my share of it either."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiemh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2JyZXhpdC11ay1hbmQtZXUtcmVtYWluLWFwYXJ0LW9uLWZ1bmRhbWVudGFsLWlzc3Vlcy1zYXlzLWV1LWNoaWVmLXVyc3VsYS12b24tZGVyLWxleWVuLTEyMTU3ODYx0gF-aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLnNreS5jb20vc3RvcnkvYW1wL2JyZXhpdC11ay1hbmQtZXUtcmVtYWluLWFwYXJ0LW9uLWZ1bmRhbWVudGFsLWlzc3Vlcy1zYXlzLWV1LWNoaWVmLXVyc3VsYS12b24tZGVyLWxleWVuLTEyMTU3ODYx?oc=5
2020-12-11 12:33:45Z
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