Boris Johnson kicks off £4bn No Deal Brexit operation after telling Tories ‘We’re ready’

TOUGH-TALKING Boris Johnson last night gave his strongest hint yet that he is prepared to walk away from an EU trade deal, telling Tories: “We’re ready.”

PM Mr Johnson took personal charge of preparations to break ties with Brussels as EU chiefs refused to budge on three key sticking points.

Boris Johnson took personal charge of preparations to break ties with Brussels Credit: Getty Images – Getty

In a further sign that patience is wearing thin with Brussels, the PM gave the green light to launch a £4billion operation to protect Britain’s supply chain and fishing waters.

It comes after a year of extensive preparations overseen by Cabinet Office supremo Michael Gove. An extra 900 border officers will be stationed in the key Channel port of Dover to ensure food, medicine and other vital supplies are not disrupted.

And Royal Navy gunboats are on standby to guard British waters from EU trawlers breaching our coastal waters after December 31, when transitional arrangements end. A senior source admitted that after a week of searching for a breakthrough, talks “remain very difficult”.

And at a fundraising event last night, Mr Johnson told Tories: “Everybody is going to have to get ready, whatever the terms of the new arrangements we have with our friends and partners in Europe. We are ready. No matter how difficult the negotiations will become, these are people who worked with us for 45 years and we have got to continue to do that.

“It’s not as though we are going to cease trade with them. We want to do more business if we possibly can, but we want to do it on slightly different terms.”

Mr Johnson is expected to decide his next step tonight when he speaks to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. The pair agreed to a “final roll of the dice” last week but there are now increasing signs that all avenues for a deal have been exhausted.

The PM told Tories: ‘We’re ready’ and hinted he was ready to walk away without a Brexit Deal

Mr Johnson will decide his next step tonight when he speaks to Ursula von der Leyen Credit: AP:Associated Press

After a year of extensive preparations overseen by Michael Gove, an extra 900 border officers will be stationed at Dover to keep goods movingCredit: Reuters

Eurocrats refuse to budge over their demands to continue plundering our fishing waters and to wield power to punish the UK if we break EU rules.

A government insider said last night: “Talks are continuing overnight, but as things stand the offer on the table from the EU remains unacceptable.

“The Prime Minister will leave no stone unturned in this process but he is absolutely clear that any agreement must be fair and respect the fundamental position that the UK will be a sovereign nation in three weeks’ time.”

GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk