THE Government expects to begin formal talks for Britain to leave the European Union by "the early part of next year", Boris Johnson has said.

The Foreign Secretary said ministers were working towards triggering Article 50 of the EU treaties - marking the official start of negotiations - in the first part of 2017.

Speaking in New York where he has been attending the United Nations, Mr Johnson suggested the discussions could be wrapped up before the two-year deadline.

Mr Johnson's remarks are likely to be welcomed by pro-Leave campaigners as an indication the Government is preparing for a "hard Brexit".

They go further than Theresa May, who has said only that Article 50 will not be invoked before the start of 2017.

When European Council president Donald Tusk said she had told him she expected the negotiations would start in January or February his comments were rejected by Downing Street.

The Foreign Secretary also dismissed suggestions that Britain would have to continue to allow some free movement of labour with the EU if it wanted to maintain access to the single market.

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Mr Johnson insisted that even after Brexit, the UK would continue to be a "participant" on defence and security issues.