Boris Johnson said the UK would emerge after “decades of hibernation” as a campaigner for global free trade

Boris Johnson declared this morning that Britain does not need a deal with the EU as he began trade negotiations by seeking to turn Brussels’s own demands against it.

The prime minister said the UK would emerge as a “campaigner for global free trade” at the same time as warning that he would rather accept tariffs than EU law.

As Brussels set out its out negotiating position this morning, Mr Johnson rejected the EU position out of hand as he insisted: “There is no need in a free trade deal to accept EU rules on competition, subsidies or environment.”

The EU has demanded that in exchange for a Canada-style free trade deal, Britain must commit to following European rules on workers’ rights, the environment and