Brexit news - live: Boris Johnson admits 'time very short' to strike EU deal but denies waiting for US election result

Downing Street has said “time is very short” in the struggle to bridge “significant gaps” on a Brexit trade deal with EU negotiators, despite hopes German chancellor Angela Merkel can “unlock” French president Emmanuel Macron on the key sticking point of fishing rights.

Boris Johnson rejected a suggestion from Sir Ivan Rogers, former UK representative to the EU, that he would be less inclined to risk a no-deal scenario if Joe Biden wins the US election, since he is less likely than Donald Trump to agree a UK-US trade deal. Mr Johnson said Brexit and the US vote were “entirely separate”.

Meanwhile, No 10 confirmed an allegation by Marcus Rashford that the prime minister had not been in touch to discuss his campaign to feed hungry children for more than four months, after the star dismissed a claim by health secretary Matt Hancock that the PM had been in “communication”.