UPDATE 1-Barnier's comments are misleading on Britain's trade talks position, says PM's spokesman

LONDON, Sept 3- Comments made by the EU’s chief negotiator on Britain’s position on talks on a future relationship offer a misleading representation of the government’s proposals, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. On Wednesday, Michel Barnier said Britain was not showing enough flexibility in engaging with the EU’s demands on…

LONDON, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Comments made by the EU’s chief

negotiator on Britain’s position on talks on a future

relationship offer a misleading representation of the

government’s proposals, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris

Johnson said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Michel Barnier said Britain was not showingenough flexibility in engaging with the EU’s demands onguarantees of fair competition, on fisheries and solvingdisputes, putting a deal on their future relationship at risk.

Since Britain left the bloc in January, talks on a tradeagreement and other future ties have all but stalled, with eachside accusing the other of failing to compromise before atransition period runs out at the end of this year.

U.S. bank JPMorgan said there was about a one-third chanceof the two failing to agree a deal.

“Michel Barnier’s comments are a misleading representationof our proposals, aimed at deflecting scrutiny from the EU’s ownpositions, which are unrealistic, and unprecedented,” said thespokesman.

“For our part, we have been consistently clear that we’reseeking a relationship that respects our sovereignty and whichhas a free trade agreement at its core, similar to those the EUalready agreed with like-minded countries.”

The two sides will start a formal round of talks next week.(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and William James; editing byAlistair Smout and Stephen Addison)