UK manufacturers putting off investment plans, poll shows

Survey reveals sharp rise in proportion of factory bosses saying political uncertainty is deterring them from raising spending

British manufacturers have fanned fears that the economy is heading for a slowdown in 2017 after a survey showed a rise in factory bosses putting off plans to increase investment.

Since the EU referendum there has been a sharp rise in the proportion of executives saying political uncertainty is putting them off raising spending, according to a poll by the manufacturers' organisation the EEF. It found a quarter of manufacturers cited this as a reason when asked in the wake of the vote, up sharply from 6% when the referendum campaign was getting under way in March.