THE CHANCES of getting a trade deal with the EU are "less than 50 per cent", Michael Gove has claimed.

The Cabinet Office Minister told a committee of MPs that there were still differences between the two sides, despite talks continuing.

Pressure is mounting on negotiators David Frost and Michel Barnier, after a group of EU leaders said they would not vote on any deal before the end of the year if they did not have access to the content of it by this Sunday.

And leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer stressed that getting a trade deal would be in the best interests of the public.

In a meeting of the Brexit committee this afternoon, Mr Gove said the “most likely outcome” was that the current transition period would end on December 31 without a deal.

He said: “I think, regrettably, the chances are more likely that we won’t secure an agreement. So at the moment less than 50 per cent.

"The process of negotiation has managed to narrow down areas of difference. It is certainly the case that there are fewer areas of difference now than there were in October or indeed July,” he told the Commons Brexit Committee.

“The areas of difference are still significant and they do go to the very heart of the mandate which the country gave the Government in 2016.”

MPs are due to finish up for Christmas tomorrow, but have been told they may have to be recalled during the break to vote on a deal if it is reached.

Labour have been criticised for not agreeing to support a deal, however leader Mr Starmer said his party was not "sitting on the fence".

He explained: "The Prime Minister said he had an oven-ready deal, that’s what he told the country a year ago.

“He needs to get on and deliver that and then we’ll look at it.

“I’m very clear that no-deal is not in the public interest and therefore the public interest lies in us getting a deal.

“We are not sitting on the fence because the Prime Minister hasn’t even delivered a deal yet.”

This afternoon European Parliament group leaders adopted a declaration stating that they will not vote on the Brexit deal before the end of the year if they cannot access its text by Sunday.

The declaration from the Conference of Presidents, initiated by Spanish member Iratxe Garcia Perez, states they are ready to hold an extraordinary session at the end of December if an agreement is reached by midnight on Sunday December 21.

It also calls for a provisional text of the Brexit agreement to be made available to European Parliament members as soon as possible.

The declaration acknowledges the “exceptional nature” of the proceedings and commends the “dedicated and professional work” of Brexit negotiators in the UK and EU.

It also welcomes efforts to avoid a no-deal scenario and “the huge negative impact it would have on citizens and businesses”.