British Prime Minister Theresa May will be using a summit of the European Union which convenes in the Austrian city of Salzburg today to persuade her European counterparts that, with just six months left before the United Kingdom leaves the EU, the time has come to conclude a deal which ensures that trade and other links between Britain and the rest of the continent are not disrupted.

Although European leaders are guaranteed to be attentive to Mrs May when she makes her case, no deal is likely to emerge.