Boris Johnson to urge EU boss Ursula Von der Leyen to authorise trade talks immediately after Brexit

BORIS Johnson will urge EU chief Ursula Von der Leyen to authorise trade talks to start immediately after Brexit in a crucial first meeting between the pair on Wednesday.

The PM will host the new European Commission chief for crunch talks at No10.

He will push her to issue a fresh mandate from the EU 27 to open formal negotiations for our future partnership with the EU on February 1.

But Commission sources have said Ms Von der Leyen will raise the prospect of extending the transition period beyond December 2020 despite the PM's move to make that scenario illegal.

A spokesman for the Commission chief also heightened fears the EU will try to drag its feet over the process as she played down hopes of progress in today's meeting.

The spokesman said the meeting will "set the scene" for trade talks but the two sides can't "go into details" until the EU has agreed its red lines.

But No10 said the PM will use the meeting to reinforce his refusal to ever consider extending the transition period.

A senior No10 source said the PM will point out that his move to make an extension illegal will benefit the EU too because it provides the certainty that was lacking under Theresa May's government.

The insider said: "He'll make it very clear that there'll be no extension, this has got to be done now, let's crack on and provide that certainty everyone needs. There seems to be an expectation growing in the EU that we will be willing to extend but that's not what's going to happen."

Their meeting, the first since she took office, will also be attended by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

No10 said Mr Johnson will underline that the forthcoming negotiations will be based on an ambitious free trade agreement, and not on alignment.

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