Johnson says ‘no need’ for UK to follow EU rules

There is no need for Britain to accept alignment with European rules, Boris Johnson has declared – as he set out his vision for a future Canada style trade deal with the EU.

But his tough line has put him on collision course with Brussels – which warned that UK companies could end up having reduced access to European markets.

The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier insisted ‘we are in favour of free trade, but we are not going to be naive’.