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Key industries will be destroyed by a hard Brexit, predicted one of the country's most important leaders, while Britain's impending closure by the EU had dampened the investments of four out of five companies .
Ralf Speth, the boss of Jaguar Land Rover, said that such a result would result in the closure of factories and significant job losses, warning that some exposed industries would not have "No way to survive a hard Brexit".
His brutal intervention comes as Downing Street tries desperately to reassure the business world about Brexit, although leading conservatives such as William Hague now estimate 50% risk of no deal. Theresa May held a teleconference with about 130 business executives on Friday after a chaotic week that dangerously ended with the failure of Brexit negotiations. She told them that an emergency summit could still be convened in November to finalize an agreement.
Speth maintained his claim that tens of thousands of jobs would be lost. "That's right," he told The Money channel during a trip to Australia last week. "Anyone can do the math. It is very open and very transparent. It's not just at Jaguar Land Rover, but it's also an important element for the UK's supplier and export sector. "
It will be very, very critical if we see a Brexit hard or not agree. The companies will disappear, the factories will be closed. There is no way to survive a tough Brexit for many industries. But I still hope that politicians see it and act in the interest of their own people. "
Speaking of the same program, Hague said that he thought May was at the most precarious moment of his tenure. "This is the realistic situation," he said. "If everybody sticks to its current position, an agreement will not be reached. There is currently no majority in parliament. "
British manufacturers are particularly concerned about the introduction of border controls and delays. "The phrase" as simple as possible "does not suit us," said a sector figure. "We need zero friction, or we have problems."
In the latest CBI Business Opinion Survey, 80% of companies said Brexit had a negative impact on investment decisions. Nearly two-fifths (39%) said they would trigger new emergency plans if there was no clarity by next month.
Most companies said they would implement damaging emergency plans if Brexit was not known until December.
One in five (19%) said that the moment when the execution of emergency plans could be stopped had already passed. The survey included 236 companies, representing 101 large companies and 135 small and medium enterprises.
Carolyn Fairbairn, Director General of the CBI, said the Prime Minister's talks were "overwhelmed by the reality that companies face on the ground".
"The situation is urgent now," she said. "Unless a withdrawal agreement is locked by December, companies will press the button for their emergency plans. Jobs will be lost and supply chains displaced.
"The repercussions on the British economy would be considerable. The standard of living would be affected and less money would be available for essential public services, including schools, hospitals and housing.
"Many companies will not publish these decisions, but their impact will show up in the years with the lowest GDP. As long as "not agree" remains a possibility, the effect is corrosive to the economy, jobs and communities in the UK.
John Longworth and Richard Tice, from the "Leave Means Leave" pro-Brexit group, dismissed the survey as a mere "political propaganda".
They said: "This light survey, with a sample of only 236 companies, is not an indication of the general music atmosphere of companies across the country who simply wish the government to act with them" they said. "The CBI is the spokesperson for unscrupulous multinationals and political elites willing to sacrifice our long-protected democracy for their own pensions and profit margins."
