Airbus said that it could close a production plant in Broughton if a trade agreement is not reached before Brexit day GETTY IMAGES

Business leaders launched a concerted campaign yesterday to shift cabinet thinking on Britain’s future trading relationship with Europe before a critical meeting of ministers next month.

BMW weighed in behind Airbus to become the latest firm warning that it could withdraw investment unless Theresa May negotiated a Brexit deal that kept Britain closely aligned with Europe.

Ian Robertson, the UK boss of the car manufacturer, said that the company, which employs about 8,000 people in Britain, needed “clarity” within months or the country would become “less competitive than it is in a very competitive world”. He told the BBC: “If we don’t get clarity in the next couple of months, we have to start making contingency plans.”

Senior industry sources said that other large companies…