The number one priority for businesses in the Brexit negotiations has today been revealed in a new survey.

MarketInvoice, the business finance company, conducted a wide ranging survey of nearly 4,000 UK businesses, seeking their views on Brexit, the role of government and finance.

The top priority (58 per cent) for UK business leaders as part of the Brexit negotiations is to have the right trade arrangements with the European Union to ensure a stable trading environment.

This is three times more important than having access to EU workers, with only 18 per cent raising this as a priority.

Meanwhile, only seven per cent prioritised the stability of sterling.

The current uncertain economic environment is keeping more than half (53 per cent) of UK business leaders awake at night.

They are less worried about the stability of the Government (15 per cent), foreign worker rights (eight per cent) or a weak sterling (one per cent).

More business leaders (85 per cent) now believe that the Government is tuned into the voice of business since March 2017, when Article 50 was triggered.

However, they are not confident or convinced that the negotiating team will defend the interests of business.

A quarter (27 per cent) feel it has lost its way and a further quarter (27 per cent) say it unprepared for the negotiations.

Only five per cent feel that Brexit Secretary David Davis is doing a great job.

Anil Stocker, CEO and co-founder of MarketInvoice, said: "Business leaders are clearly focused on ensuring they are prepared to do business before worrying about people issues.

"Anecdotal feedback from this survey is that businesses in the UK are getting on with it but are clearly unsettled, which doesn't make for a healthy business environment.

"The good news is that businesses, finally, feel that their voices are being heard by Government but are not inspired with confidence with the negotiating efforts."

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