UK PM Johnson's spokesman: Time is short and there are still significant gaps with EU

"Time is in short supply to get a trade deal with the European Union (EU) and there are still significant gaps," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Thursday.

"We have been working hard throughout to secure a deal, but it needs to respect British sovereignty," the spokesman reiterated. "After the transition, we intend to have positive relations with the EU."

Market reaction

The UK's FTSE 100 Index edged slightly lower after these comments and was last seen losing 0.65% on a daily basis at 6,340.