Northern Ireland's economy will be 12% smaller in the next 15 years than it would be otherwise if Britain leaves the European Union with no trade agreement, according to a leaked government analysis of the economic impact of Brexit obtained by Sky News.

The economy in the northeast of England, which voted to leave the EU, would suffer an even bigger shortfall of 16% over the same period, Sky News reported.

"This document does not represent Government policy and does not consider the outcome we are seeking in the negotiations," a spokesman for the Department for Exiting the European Union said in an email to Reuters.

"We are seeking an unprecedented, comprehensive and ambitious economic partnership - one that works for all parts of the UK. We are not expecting a no deal scenario," he added.

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said he had not seen the specific details reported by Sky, and pointed to May's response to the initial leak of the papers.

"She made the point that what it doesn't model is the deal which she is actually seeking," the spokesman said. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie