UK PM and EU chief say conditions for finalising post-Brexit trade deal ‘are not there’

“The conditions for finalising an agreement are not there” – that’s the conclusion of the latest high-level phone call between Boris Johnson and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen.

They spent an hour-and-a-half in direct phone negotiations this afternoon before stopping for more consultations.

A few minutes ago they announced that the phone call won’t resume, but the two leaders will head to Brussels this week.

Earlier, the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator gave what was described as a “gloomy and downbeat” assessment of the negotiations to European Union ambassadors.