UK and EU agree to intensify talks in bid to secure Brexit trade deal

Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen have paved the way for further intensified trade talks (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The UK and the European Union have agreed to “work intensively” to resolve the differences in the Brexit trade talks, Downing Street has confirmed.

Boris Johnson and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen spoke via video conference on Saturday to take stock of progress in the negotiations following the final scheduled round of talks between Brussels and the UK this week.