'Smoother glide path' to Brexit trade deal after N.Ireland accord, UK's Gove says

Britain and the European Union have a smoother glide path to a Brexit trade deal now they have agreed on the implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit supremo, Michael Gove, said on Wednesday.

"There is a smoother glide path towards a possible deal," Gove said, referring to the removal of clauses in draft British laws that would have broken the 2020 Brexit divorce treaty.

"I hope that we will secure a free trade agreement," Gove told Sky, adding that if a deal was not done the finance minister would take steps to ensure British businesses were competitive.