Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said the ties between the UK and the European Union will continue to be “unbreakable” even after Brexit. She told an audience at the London School of Economics, where she formerly studied, that many of the principles of the EU and the single market had been guided by British figures. Ms von der Leyen said January 31 – Britain’s exit day – would be a “tough and emotional day”.

But she added: “When the sun rises again on February 1, the United Kingdom and the European Union will still be the best of friends and partners.The bonds between us will still be unbreakable.”

Ursula Von der Leyen said: “Without an extension of the transition period beyond 2020 you cannot expect to agree on every single aspect of our partnership.

“We will have to prioritise.”

“We are prepared to design a new partnership with zero tariffs, zero quotas, zero dumping – a partnership that goes well beyond trade and is unprecedented in scope.”

Ms von der Leyen said there would be “consequences” to leaving the EU and that the UK would have to accept compromises.

“Our partnership cannot and will not be the same as before,” she said in her speech on Wednesday.

“It will not be as close as before because with every choice comes a consequence. With every decision, comes a trade-off.

“Without the free movement of people, you cannot have the free movement of capital, goods and services.

“Without a level playing field on environment, labour and state aid, you cannot have the highest quality access to the world’s largest single market.

“The more divergence there is, the more distant the partnership will be.”

Boris Johnson has insisted he will not delay Brexit any further as he planed to tell Ms von der Leyen on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister will insist Britons and citizens across the rest of the European Union have had enough after three years of talks.

Downing Street hinted earlier in the week that the Government could conduct post-Brexit trade talks with the US in parallel with those with the EU.

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The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the UK would be “free to hold trade discussions with countries across the world” after it has left the bloc at the end of the month.

It followed reports that Mr Johnson’s ministers are split over how best to negotiate a new trade deal with the EU, with some figures, including Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and International Trade Secretary Liz Truss, reportedly pushing for parallel talks with the US to put pressure on the EU.

MPs debated plans to rule out a transition period extension in law as the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill continued its passage through Parliament on Tuesday night.

Discussions will continue in the Commons on Wednesday and Thursday before the legislation goes before peers next week.

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