Jean-Claude Juncker is not optimistic that his first bilateral meeting with Boris Johnson as prime minister will lead to a new Brexit deal, he indicated last night.

Mr Juncker, president of the European Commission, was speaking after Mr Johnson said at the weekend: “A huge amount of progress is being made.” In an interview in The Mail on Sunday the prime minister claimed: “There’s a very, very good conversation going on about how to address the issues of the Northern Irish border.”

He is being helped by greater flexibility from the DUP, which has privately shifted some of its red lines, including on Northern Ireland remaining in step with more EU regulations. Some border checks could be done remotely, figures involved in the talks say.