UK Chambers of Commerce president on Brexit

president of British Chambers of Commerce said ambiguity over terms of a tre deal between Britain and European Union will affect country's businesses, intensifying pressure on ecomy amid pandemic.

Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith told Sky News on Sunday that UK needs a deal as soon as possible, so "we can actually start to grow as businesses."

"re could be some significant job losses and that on top of lack of government support after March, as we come out of pandemic. And I would urge government to look at support all businesses need as we come out of this and also give us more time to prepare as we leave European Union," she said.

Facing yet ar self-imposed Brexit deline on Sunday, chief negotiators from European Union and United Kingdom were making last-ditch efforts to bridge differences on a tre deal that have proved insurmountable for best part of year.

So far, UK hasn't backed down from its insistence on tring with 27-nation bloc with as few restraints as possible, and EU isn't yielding on its demand to accept tre only if Britain respects rules of bloc.

Labour politician Steve Reed criticised Conservative government of Boris Johnson for failing to fulfill ir commitment to reach a deal with EU.

"It is one year and one day exactly since Boris Johnson won an 80-seat majority in House of Commons promising to get Brexit done with an oven-rey Brexit deal that he h reied to agree with European Union. w we are right at 11th hour w, aren't we? deal is t yet done," he said.

Britain left EU on Jan. 31, but remains in its ecomic structures until a transition period ends on Dec. 31.

Wher it's a negotiating ploy or t, Johnson has publicly said UK would still thrive mightily if re is deal and it was “very, very likely” that negotiations on a new relationship that will take effect on Jan. 1 will fail.

Without a deal UK will tre with bloc on World Tre Organization terms - with all tariffs and barriers that would bring.