Commenting on the parliamentary defeat of the meaningful vote on the Brexit agreement, Ann McGregor, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber), said:

“Neither Government nor many businesses are ready for a no-deal exit, and it must not be allowed to happen by default. Despite two and a half years passing since the referendum, there is no clear plan to support those businesses at the sharp end of such an abrupt change.

“The implications for Northern Ireland are starkly portrayed in a recent British Chambers of Commerce and NI Chamber Brexit survey where 2 in 5 NI firms said that in the event of a no deal they would plan to move all or some of their business to the EU.

“Against this backdrop, it is critical that government and parliament pull out all the stops to avoid a no-deal scenario and the messy and disorderly exit that it will bring.”