Theresa May given huge Brexit boost as Germany’s industrial powerhouse calls for ‘comprehensive’ post-referendum trade deal with Britain

THERESA May was given a huge Brexit boost as Germany’s industrial powerhouse called for a “comprehensive” post-referendum trade deal with Britain.

Bavaria’s finance minister Ilse Aigner said the UK leaving the 28-nation bloc posed a “high risk” to her country’s economy.

3

She insisted “everything” had to be done to “put economic relations with the UK on a new foundation without fractures”.

Bavaria is the home to Adidas, Allianz, BMW and Siemens. Dominated by Munich, the region itself has a bigger economy than nearly 20 of the EU’s 28 member states.

The intervention follows a week of dire warnings from EU bureaucrats and threats to punish Britain for daring to leave the bloc.

3

This morning Malta’s PM Joseph Muscat insisted there was no way Britain will be able to access the EU single market if it wanted to restrict EU immigration.

He said: “This is really and truly our position and I don’t see it changing.”

RELATED STORIES:

SCOT-CHIO

Sturgeon’s plan to derail Brexit dealt body blow after Spanish vow to block them from staying in EU single market

WHINE AND DINE

Blair’s closest allies meet top Remain backers as Alastair Campbell urges them to 'fight back' on Brexit

‘LET’S NOT DELUDE OURSELVES’

OBR head defends gloomy economic forecast claiming leaving EU would cost £60bn

MAJOR BACKLASH

Sir John Major sparks fury by declaring Brexit can't be decided by 'tyranny of majority'

But speaking to German newspaper Die Welt, Ms Aigner insisted the UK was one of the “most important trading partners” for Bavaria.

She said: “We have to do everything to address the uncertainties that have arisen.”

3

Brexit-backing MPs today welcomed Bavaria’s intervention – and urged Brussels to listen to the region’s concerns.

Tory backbencher Steve Baker told the Sun: “I’m delighted to agree that our trade should continue uninterrupted.

“I’m looking forward to the EU giving us an appropriate withdrawal agreement followed by a broad and deep free trade area which lets us tack back control but lets us trade freely and fairly.”

Downing Street said EU negotiations were being approached in the spirit of “goodwill”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Government will reveal its renegotiation strategy in the fullness of time that will get us the best deal for Britain.”