In Brexit boost, Jaguar Land Rover to hire 5,000 staff

Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will hire 5,000 staff as it boosts its skills in autonomous and electric technology, a welcome business endorsement as Prime Minister Theresa May starts Brexit talks after a botched election.

JLR, which employs more than 40,000 people globally, said it would hire 1,000 electronic and software engineers as well as 4,000 additional personnel including in manufacturing, most of whom will be based in Britain.

The recruitment process will take place over the next 12 months, during Britain's talks to leave the European Union, which carmakers have warned must result in a deal which retains free and unfettered trade to protect jobs. May lost her parliamentary majority in the June 8 general election that her Conservatives fought on the promise of a clean break with the EU single market and customs union. The renewed political uncertainty has seen business confidence tumble in recent days, according to surveys and business groups.

Hours before the talks were due to begin in Brussels, the heads of the UK's biggest business lobbies called on the government to engage "continuously" with UK business interests and strike a deal that preserves the benefits of EU membership including tariff-free trade, guarantees for EU citizens living in the UK and minimal customs formalities.