LONDON: British minister Michael Gove put the chance of Britain and the European Union securing a trade deal at less than 50pc on Thursday, saying some of the remaining differences went to "the very heart" of the government's mandate.

Gove, who is the British minister in charge of implementing an earlier divorce deal, told a parliamentary committee: "I think that regrettably the chances are more likely that we won't secure an agreement." Asked about the probability of a deal, he said "less than 50pc".