Lobby group warns on trade

British manufacturers could rush to establish bases in the North to avoid customs tariffs after Brexit, a lobby group for the industry has claimed.

The UK government has proposed smaller firms involved in localised cross-border trade with the Republic should be exempted from the responsibilities.

Representative body Manufacturing Northern Ireland said that 99% of the businesses it represents were small or medium-sized but they had been given no idea how the suggested arrangements after March 2019 could work.