LONDON, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Time is now “very short” for Britain and the European Union to try to strike a trade deal, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday, as intensive talks begin in London. “Time is now very short and we’ve been repeatedly clear that any agreement needs to be in place before the end of the transition period and if an agreement can’t be reached, we will leave on Australian-style terms,” he told reporters. “Both sides have agreed to a genuine intensification of the negotiations with talks taking place daily, including at weekends, and both sides do recognise that time is extremely short.” (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison)