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Boris Johnson has insisted that the chances of Britain breaking away from the EU at the end of 2020 without a trade deal in place are “absolutely zero”.
The PM said a re-elected Tory government would negotiate a free trade agreement within 11 months of Britain leaving the EU.
The comments come ahead of his first televised debate of the General Election campaign with Jeremy Corbyn.
Under Conservative plans, Mr Johnson would re-introduce his Withdrawal Agreement in the Commons with a view to delivering Brexit by the current deadline of January 31.
That would mark the start of a transition period – set to run to the end of 2020 – in which the UK would continue to follow EU rules while negotiations on a trade deal take place.
However, many observers believe it is not enough time to get an agreement, opening up the prospect of Britain leaving without a deal unless Mr Johnson seeks an extension to the transition period – something he has vowed not to do.
But speaking during an election campaign visit to a boxing gym near Manchester, the Prime Minister was adamant there was no prospect of breaking with the EU at the end of 2020 without a trade agreement in place.
Asked in an interview with BBC local radio about the risk, he said: “I think they’re absolutely zero.”
General Election 2019 – In pictures
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson eats a candy stick which reads “Back Boris” during a General Election campaign trail stop at Coronation Candy in Blackpool,
AP
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Britain’s Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson makes a pizza with chef Leonardo Mastrofilippo at Cafe Amisha during her general election campaign tour in London
REUTERS
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage looks out from a window on the Kestrel crabbing boat in Grimsby fish dock during General Election campaigning
PA
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to West Monkton CEVC Primary School in Bathpool, Taunton
PA
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Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon (R) holds a baby as she campaigns with SNP candidate Catriona MacDonald
AFP via Getty Images
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Jo Swinson at Total Boxer
Jeremy Selwyn
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson during a visit to the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Temple in Glasgow
PA
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a gift card with an image mocking him, during a General Election campaign trail stop in Wells
AP
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Nigel Farage holds a fish during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village during General Election campaigning
PA
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson steers a tug boat during a General Election campaign stop in the port of Bristol,
AP
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Nigel Farage takes a mouthful of homemade cheesecake during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village during General Election campaigning
PA
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds Rosie the rabbit during a visit to a primary school in Taunton
AFP via Getty Images
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage wears boxing gloves as he poses with British boxer Dereck Chisora, during his visit to Gator ABC Boxing Club in Ilford
AFP via Getty Images
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn tries a scone in Bentley, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, during General Election campaigning
PA
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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan practices with a sparing partner Tyler Brindle as he visits a community boxing gym in London
Reuters
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson, drinks from a pint watched by Defence Minister Johnny Mercer (right) as he meets with military veterans at the Lych Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton
PA
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson talks with a local woman pushing a wheelbarrow
PA
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage attends a general election campaign event in Sedgefield
Reuters
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon during a visit to The Shed, a Climate Challenge community project at North Edinburgh Arts
PA
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn during a visit to the Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre in Glasgow
PA
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Britain’ Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a baby as he meets with supporters at the Lych Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton
AP
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Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon visits Blosson Tree children’s nursery
AFP via Getty Images
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn laughs during a visit to the Scrap Creative Reuse Arts Project, Sunny Bank Mills, The Spinning Mill in Leeds
Getty Images
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Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson eats a marshmallow during a visit to Free Rangers Nursery while on the General Election campaign trail in Midsomer Norton
PA
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson helps with the clean up at an opticians as he visits Matlock in Sheffield
Getty Images
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn unveils the Labour battle bus while on the General Election campaign trail in Liverpool
PA
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Brexit party leader Nigel Farage eats fish and chips from Whitehaven Fish Bar Takeaway Restaurant during a walkabout after attending an election campaign even
Getty Images
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Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson attends an election campaign event in Golders Green
Getty Images
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson moves a pallet of chocolate biscuits in a -25 degree celsius storage unit during a general election campaign visit to the headquarters of Iceland Foods in Deeside, northeast Wales
AFP via Getty Images
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries his hand at making an Antony Gormley inspired clay figure during an arts class whilst visiting the George Spencer Academy in Nottingham, while on the General Election campaign trail around the country
PA
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon eats a cupcake during a visit to a bakery whilst on the election campaign trail in Alloa
PA
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson helps quality control staff during a general election campaign visit to the Tayto Castle crisp factory in County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Reuters
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage during a visit to Bolsover Boxing Club near Chesterfield in Derbyshire
PA
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the campaign trail on Thursday
PA
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Britain’s opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers a speech during their election campaign event on Brexit in Harlow
AP
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Boris Johnson at Downing Street
Jeremy Selwyn
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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie (right) and party General Election campaign chairman Alex Cole-Hamilton on the General Election campaign trail in Blackhall, Edinburgh
PA
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Carrie Symonds shares a picture of Dilyn the dog ready for the General Election
@carriesymonds
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon holds a guitar as she visits Dalkeith Community Hub with Owen Thompson, SNP election candidate for Midlothian
Getty Images
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Boris Johnson speaks to staff at the East Midlands and East of England Genomic Laboratory Hub, in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge
Reuters
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson during a visit to Sigma Pharmaceuticals in North Watford
PA
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street on route to Buckingham Palace ahead of an audience with Queen Elizabeth II and the formal start of the General Election
AP
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage addresses supporters at the Washington Central Hotel in Workington
PA
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage stops for a pint of beer with the party’s candidate for Ashfield Martin Daubney (right) during a campaigning stop in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
PA
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Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice poses as he wears boxing gloves at a general election campaign event at Bolsover Boxing Club in Chesterfield
Reuters
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Jeremy Corbyn kisses Emily Thornbury’s hand in Battersea
Jeremy Selwyn
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson takes a selfie as she appears on BBCC’s The Andrew Marr Show
BBC/AFP via Getty Images
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Jeremy Corbyn prepares to launch the Labour Party’s election campaign in south London
AFP via Getty Images
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon helps to serve soup during a visit to the Lochside Community Centre in Dumfries, to meet voters and activists while on the General Election campaign.
PA
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Nigel Farage at the Brexit Party’s election campaign launch
AP
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Boris Johnson looks at old photographs of London with students at Abbots Green Primary Academy in Bury St Edmunds
Getty Images
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Nigel Farage on The Andrew Marr Show
BBC/AFP via Getty Images
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has a coffee in Cafe Gelato, Rutherglen
PA
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Jacob Rees-Mogg arrives at Downing Street in London
Reuters
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Jeremy Corbyn meeting the party faithful during a rally while on the campaign trail in Swindon
PA
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Larry the cat walks outside Downing Street
Reuters
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Boris Johnson as he leaves 10 Downing Street
AFP via Getty Images
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Nigel Farage gives the thumbs up
PA
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Jeremy Corbyn takes a selfie while on the General Election campaign trail in Milton Keynes
PA
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Government advisor Dominic Cummings walks along Whitehall on his way to Downing Street wearing a bulldog clip
Getty Images
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson eats a candy stick which reads “Back Boris” during a General Election campaign trail stop at Coronation Candy in Blackpool,
AP
2/60
Britain’s Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson makes a pizza with chef Leonardo Mastrofilippo at Cafe Amisha during her general election campaign tour in London
REUTERS
3/60
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage looks out from a window on the Kestrel crabbing boat in Grimsby fish dock during General Election campaigning
PA
4/60
Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to West Monkton CEVC Primary School in Bathpool, Taunton
PA
5/60
Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon (R) holds a baby as she campaigns with SNP candidate Catriona MacDonald
AFP via Getty Images
6/60
Jo Swinson at Total Boxer
Jeremy Selwyn
7/60
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson during a visit to the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Temple in Glasgow
PA
8/60
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a gift card with an image mocking him, during a General Election campaign trail stop in Wells
AP
9/60
Nigel Farage holds a fish during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village during General Election campaigning
PA
10/60
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson steers a tug boat during a General Election campaign stop in the port of Bristol,
AP
11/60
Nigel Farage takes a mouthful of homemade cheesecake during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village during General Election campaigning
PA
12/60
Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds Rosie the rabbit during a visit to a primary school in Taunton
AFP via Getty Images
13/60
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage wears boxing gloves as he poses with British boxer Dereck Chisora, during his visit to Gator ABC Boxing Club in Ilford
AFP via Getty Images
14/60
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn tries a scone in Bentley, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, during General Election campaigning
PA
15/60
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan practices with a sparing partner Tyler Brindle as he visits a community boxing gym in London
Reuters
16/60
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, drinks from a pint watched by Defence Minister Johnny Mercer (right) as he meets with military veterans at the Lych Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton
PA
17/60
Prime Minister Boris Johnson talks with a local woman pushing a wheelbarrow
PA
18/60
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage attends a general election campaign event in Sedgefield
Reuters
19/60
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon during a visit to The Shed, a Climate Challenge community project at North Edinburgh Arts
PA
20/60
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn during a visit to the Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre in Glasgow
PA
21/60
Britain’ Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a baby as he meets with supporters at the Lych Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton
AP
22/60
Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon visits Blosson Tree children’s nursery
AFP via Getty Images
23/60
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn laughs during a visit to the Scrap Creative Reuse Arts Project, Sunny Bank Mills, The Spinning Mill in Leeds
Getty Images
24/60
Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson eats a marshmallow during a visit to Free Rangers Nursery while on the General Election campaign trail in Midsomer Norton
PA
25/60
Prime Minister Boris Johnson helps with the clean up at an opticians as he visits Matlock in Sheffield
Getty Images
26/60
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn unveils the Labour battle bus while on the General Election campaign trail in Liverpool
PA
27/60
Brexit party leader Nigel Farage eats fish and chips from Whitehaven Fish Bar Takeaway Restaurant during a walkabout after attending an election campaign even
Getty Images
28/60
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson attends an election campaign event in Golders Green
Getty Images
29/60
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson moves a pallet of chocolate biscuits in a -25 degree celsius storage unit during a general election campaign visit to the headquarters of Iceland Foods in Deeside, northeast Wales
AFP via Getty Images
30/60
Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries his hand at making an Antony Gormley inspired clay figure during an arts class whilst visiting the George Spencer Academy in Nottingham, while on the General Election campaign trail around the country
PA
31/60
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon eats a cupcake during a visit to a bakery whilst on the election campaign trail in Alloa
PA
32/60
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson helps quality control staff during a general election campaign visit to the Tayto Castle crisp factory in County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Reuters
33/60
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage during a visit to Bolsover Boxing Club near Chesterfield in Derbyshire
PA
34/60
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the campaign trail on Thursday
PA
35/60
Britain’s opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers a speech during their election campaign event on Brexit in Harlow
AP
36/60
Boris Johnson at Downing Street
Jeremy Selwyn
37/60
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie (right) and party General Election campaign chairman Alex Cole-Hamilton on the General Election campaign trail in Blackhall, Edinburgh
PA
38/60
Carrie Symonds shares a picture of Dilyn the dog ready for the General Election
@carriesymonds
39/60
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon holds a guitar as she visits Dalkeith Community Hub with Owen Thompson, SNP election candidate for Midlothian
Getty Images
40/60
Boris Johnson speaks to staff at the East Midlands and East of England Genomic Laboratory Hub, in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge
Reuters
41/60
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson during a visit to Sigma Pharmaceuticals in North Watford
PA
42/60
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street on route to Buckingham Palace ahead of an audience with Queen Elizabeth II and the formal start of the General Election
AP
43/60
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage addresses supporters at the Washington Central Hotel in Workington
PA
44/60
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage stops for a pint of beer with the party’s candidate for Ashfield Martin Daubney (right) during a campaigning stop in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
PA
45/60
Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice poses as he wears boxing gloves at a general election campaign event at Bolsover Boxing Club in Chesterfield
Reuters
46/60
Jeremy Corbyn kisses Emily Thornbury’s hand in Battersea
Jeremy Selwyn
47/60
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson takes a selfie as she appears on BBCC’s The Andrew Marr Show
BBC/AFP via Getty Images
48/60
Jeremy Corbyn prepares to launch the Labour Party’s election campaign in south London
AFP via Getty Images
49/60
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon helps to serve soup during a visit to the Lochside Community Centre in Dumfries, to meet voters and activists while on the General Election campaign.
PA
50/60
Nigel Farage at the Brexit Party’s election campaign launch
AP
51/60
Boris Johnson looks at old photographs of London with students at Abbots Green Primary Academy in Bury St Edmunds
Getty Images
52/60
Nigel Farage on The Andrew Marr Show
BBC/AFP via Getty Images
53/60
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has a coffee in Cafe Gelato, Rutherglen
PA
54/60
Jacob Rees-Mogg arrives at Downing Street in London
Reuters
55/60
Jeremy Corbyn meeting the party faithful during a rally while on the campaign trail in Swindon
PA
56/60
Larry the cat walks outside Downing Street
Reuters
57/60
Boris Johnson as he leaves 10 Downing Street
AFP via Getty Images
58/60
Nigel Farage gives the thumbs up
PA
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Jeremy Corbyn takes a selfie while on the General Election campaign trail in Milton Keynes
PA
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Government advisor Dominic Cummings walks along Whitehall on his way to Downing Street wearing a bulldog clip
Getty Images
He added: “People said I couldn’t get a deal with the EU in the three months that we had available and they said we couldn’t reopen the Withdrawal Agreement and that Brussels would never agree, and all this sort of stuff, and look what we did.
“We got a fantastic deal, it’s ready to go… it is supported by every single one of the 635 Conservative candidates standing at this election.”
At the same time, however, he reaffirmed his commitment that there would be no extension to the transition period.
“It’s not going to be extended, there’s no reason to – we already have a zero-tariff, zero-quota arrangement with the EU – our regulations are already perfectly aligned,” he said.
“The reality is we’re there and we’re ready to go. All we need is a few weeks, we’ll bring this thing back in December if we’re lucky enough to be re-elected and we’ll put it back to Parliament and we’re out in January and we focus on the priorities of the British people.”
His intervention came as he prepared to go head-to-head with Mr Corbyn in an hour-long debate on ITV.
The way was cleared for the encounter to go ahead after the High Court in London rejected a legal challenge by the Liberal Democrats and the SNP over the exclusion of their leaders.
With Labour trailing in the opinion polls, Mr Corbyn goes into the event – staged at studios in MediaCityUK, Salford – hoping for an opportunity to make up ground on the Conservatives.
In contrast, Mr Johnson, who was criticised for his reluctance to debate directly with his rivals in the Tory leadership election, will be seeking to avoid any misstep which hands ammunition to his opponents.
Ahead of their encounter, Mr Johnson sought to put pressure on Mr Corbyn with an open letter calling on him to say which way he would recommend people should vote in Labour’s proposed second EU referendum.
The Labour leader has come under fire over his refusal to say which way he would vote, even though other senior figures including Mr McDonnell and shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry have made clear they would back Remain.