Brexit will hit UK economy like a 'slow puncture'

Former Siemens chief Juergen Maier says disruption will last at least six months even if trade deal is reached

Brexit will hit the British economy like a slow puncture", a leading industrialist has warned, with disruption to business to last at least six months even if a trade deal is reached.

Juergen Maier, the former chief executive of German electronics giant Siemens, warned that businesses were starting to shift parts of their operations to other countries in the EU while at the same time decrying the nationalist" headlines over the weekend claiming Angela Merkel wanted the UK to walk on broken glass" to secure a Brexit deal.

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