"I think there have been some changes in the positions in recent times, dictated by reality," Fox told BBC radio.

"We've seen, for example, the German economy weakening, we've seen the French economy weakening, and I think this (EU)view that 'we can simply weather out any disturbance that would occur from a no deal', I think there's much less appetite for that."

(Reporting by Andy Bruce and James Davey; Editing by William Schomberg)