A group of German business leaders and politicians has called for the European Union to persuade Britain to reverse Brexit by offering a comprehensive deal on immigration and free movement.

Under the slogan “Exit from Brexit: a new deal for Britain and the EU”, the group of seven influential figures warned that Germany must do more to prevent losing “its most valuable partner within the EU”.

“Basically, we want the EU to offer the deal David Cameron was looking for before the referendum,” Hans-Olaf Henkel, a senior German MEP and one of the leaders of the initiative said.

“We want to offer Britain the right to stop people who have no jobs entering the country and entering its social welfare system.”