Brexit news latest: Boris Johnson warns Britain will break out of EU like The Incredible Hulk if deal cannot be struck

Boris Johnson has warned Britain will break out of the EU like The Incredible Hulk if a Brexit deal can't be struck by the October 31 deadline.

In his latest pledge for a “do or die” exit, the Prime Minister vowed Britain will break out of the EU’s "manacles" like the green-skinned superhero.

Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Johnson said the country would be like fictional scientist Bruce Banner, who transforms into the Hulk when he gets angry.

"Banner might be bound in manacles, but when provoked he would explode out of them,” Mr Johnson said.

"Hulk always escaped, no matter how tightly bound in he seemed to be, and that is the case for this country. We will come out on October 31 and we will get it done."

Mr Johnson reiterated his optimism about reaching a Brexit deal, the day before his scheduled meeting with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Luxembourg.

He told the paper a “huge amount of progress” was being made, insisting "we will get there".

He said: “I will be talking to Jean-Claude about how we're going to do it. I'm very confident.

"When I got this job everybody was saying there can be absolutely no change to the Withdrawal Agreement, the backstop was immutable, the arrangements by which the UK was kept locked in to the EU forever - they said no-one could change that.

"They have already moved off that and, as you know, there's a very, very good conversation going on about how to address the issues of the Northern Irish border. A huge amount of progress is being made."

Snails, salmon and cheese will be on the menu when Mr Johnson and Mr Juncker meet for lunch on Monday.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Brexit secretary Steve Barclay and Number 10's Brexit sherpa David Frost, will also meet the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier during the Luxembourg visit.

However, Downing Street has warned that Monday's meetings will not be a "big breakthrough" moment in the government's bid to strike a deal with Brussels.

Ahead of the trip, Mr Johnson added: "Don't be fooled by [Labour leader Jeremy] Corbyn and the ringleaders. On the one hand, they say I don't want a deal.

"On the other, they want to force me to extend. Both are wrong. I am straining to get a deal, but I will also end the uncertainty and take us out on the October 31."

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Sam Gyimah defects to Liberal Democrats after Tory whip withdrawal

It came as research by Opinium suggested the Conservatives have increased their poll lead to 12 points above Labour.

The pollsters put the Tories on 37 per cent, with Labour on 25 per cent, the Liberal Democrats on 16 per cent and the Brexit Party on 13 per cent.

A separate poll by ComRes and the Sunday Express found that just one in 10 people think Parliament "works well and is fit for the 21st century".

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Read more Sam Gyimah defects to Liberal Democrats after Tory whip withdrawal