LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was launching a new approach to drive independent trade policy and so would not nominate a UK commissioner to take a place in the new European Commission.

"I want to start unshackling our officials to undertake this new mission (to strike trade deals) right away. So we will not nominate a UK commissioner for the new commission taking office on the first of December, under no circumstances," he told parliament in his inaugural speech to the chamber,

"Today is the first day for a new approach which will end with our exit from the EU on the 31st of October."

Reuters