German business leaders have cast doubt on claims they will help the UK secure a beneficial trade deal after Brexit, in a "stark intervention that strikes a blow at the government's EU departure plans", says The Guardian.
Dieter Kempf, head of the German Federation of Industries, said maintaining the integrity of the single market was the priority for German businesses.
"It is the responsibility of the British government" to limit the economic fallout on both sides of the Channel, he told the Guardian, adding: "Over the coming months, it will be extraordinarily difficult to avert negative effects on British businesses in particular." he added.
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His view was echoed by Ingo Kramer, president of the confederation of German employers' association.
"The UK will remain a very important partner for us, but we need a fair deal for both sides respecting this principle," he said. "The cohesion of the remaining 27 EU member states has highest priority."
However, John Longworth, a Brexit supporter and former director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, predicted their position would change as negotiations continue.
"We are their biggest export market. There will be pressure on governments to compromise," he said.
Several cabinet ministers, including Brexit Secretary David Davis, have also argued that German carmakers will lobby the Reichstag to ensure a good trade deal for Britain after it withdraws from the bloc.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said the US was willing to conclude a "powerful" trade deal with the UK after Brexit.
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