Business investment in Britain has barely been touched by Brexit – with over £170 billion pouring in last year

BUSINESS investment in Britain has barely been touched by the Brexit bombshell – with over £170 billion pouring into the nation last year.

Sources claim figures due to be released next month will show the amount spent by companies was just 0.5 per cent down on 2015.

Ministers claim it reflects a “huge vote of confidence” in Brexit Britain given the uncertainty triggered by the Referendum campaign.

One insider told the Sun: “Everyone said the sky would fall in but it just hasn’t happened.” Big name firms from GlaxoSmithKline to Jaguar Land Rover and Honda all announced plans to invest in the UK last year.

Drugs giant Glaxo insisted the UK was “still attractive” as it unveiled plans to pour £275 million into its UK manufacturing facilities.

The revelation came as Trade Secretary Liam Fox yesterday said Britain had already started negotiating trade deals with at least 12 countries.

He revealed the UK had begun undertaking trade audits with countries around the world with the aim of having trade deals in place as soon as Brexit is formally completed in 2019.

He said: “Since joining the EU, trade as a percentage of GDP has stagnated in the UK. That is why it is time for Britain to get out into the world and rediscover its role as a great, global, trading nation.”

Figures released before Christmas revealed business investment in three months after the Referendum was £44 billion – 2.2 per cent down on July to September 2015.