EU offers to scrap 80% of NI food checks but prepares for Johnson to reject deal

Maro efovi attempts to end tussle at press conference but big gap' remains to UK's demands

The EU will scrap 80% of checks on foods entering Northern Ireland from Britain but Brussels officials were preparing for the worst" amid signs Boris Johnson is set to reject the terms of the deal.

Maro efovi, the EU's Brexit commissioner, also announced that customs checks on manufactured goods would be halved as part of a significant concession to ease post-Brexit border problems.