Britain’s chief Brexit negotiator, David Frost, warned progress in trade talks with the European Union has been "blocked and time is running out” as leaders from both sides played down expectations a deal will be reached.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday evening, after which he said the talks were in a "serious situation” and would fail unless the EU softened its stance on fishing, which he described as "not reasonable.”

For her part, von der Leyen warned "big differences” remain, particularly on fishing, and that "bridging them will be very challenging.”