BORIS JOHNSON was unable to say today how many of his promised 50,000 customs agents would be in place when the Brexit transition period ends in just over three weeks’ time.

During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused him of being ill-prepared for January 1.

He asked the PM how many new customs agents would be ready for that date.

Mr Johnson said: “We’ve invested £1 billion in getting this country ready for whatever trading relationship is on January 1 and £84 million into supporting customs agents across the UK.”  

Sir Keir — who took part in PMQs from home as he is isolating after a member of his office staff contracted Covid-19 — also criticised Mr Johnson for failing to agree a trade deal with the European Union.

He said: “Whatever may happen in the next few days, there’s no doubting his incompetence has held Britain back.

“So will he end this charade, end the uncertainty, get the deal he promised and allow the country to move on?”

Mr Johnson used their exchanges to try to get Sir Keir to say how Labour would vote on any UK-EU agreement on the future relationship beyond December 31.

He accused the Labour leader of having been “deafeningly silent” on the matter and claimed that Britain will become a “magnet” for overseas investment “whether we have a Canadian or Australian solution.”

Sir Keir insisted that Labour would “vote in the national interest, not on party-political lines” should a deal be secured.

His spokesman later said that Labour would not back a no-deal scenario, as it would not be in the national interest.

During PMQs, SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford accused the PM of getting ready to “sell out” Scotland’s interests in a Brexit deal.

He said that it was confirmed on Tuesday that Northern Ireland would be getting “the best of both worlds” in having access to the EU single market and customs union, adding that “what is good for Northern Ireland is surely good enough for Scotland. “

Last night, Mr Johnson was expected to meet EU chief Ursula von der Leyen for dinner in Brussels to go over the three sticking points in the way of a deal – fishing rights, the so-called “level playing field” on rules and the future governance of the deal. 

Failure to agree a deal will result in UK-EU trading on World Trade Organisation terms.