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The boss of John Lewis has warned that a no-deal Brexit will plunge us into “chaos”.

Sir Charlie Mayfield said crashing out of the EU next March with no trade and customs arrangements would be an “unthinkable scenario”.

Urging a “bread and butter Brexit”, he said: “We need to be pragmatic and realistic about what it needs to constitute. A no-deal Brexit is a pretty much unthinkable scenario. It is because we are unprepared for it.

“If you were to leave without preparing for it well, the chaos that would ensue would be something that I don’t think any sensible person should contemplate.”

(Image: Getty)

His warning came as the head of the Association of British Travel Agents slammed the “lack of clarity and progress” in Brexit talks.

Mark Tanzer told a conference: “A year ago, I set out a number of areas in which we needed to see urgent progress – aviation access, movement of key workers, VAT and consumer rights.

“Twelve months on, we still don’t have any clarity on any of these.”

(Image: Getty)

There are growing fears among business leaders over the Government’s handling of negotiations with the bloc.

Car industry chiefs this week warned that a “cliff-edge Brexit” could put thousands of jobs at risk.

And plane manufacturer Airbus threatened to pull out of the UK.

Meanwhile, trade body the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has warned that a fifth of companies have still not considered the impact Brexit will have on them.