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Airbus threatens to abandon Britain, cut thousands of jobs over Brexit

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LONDON — The United Kingdom's Brexit plans hit another major bump Friday when global aviation giant Airbus threatened to pull out of the country if the government leaves the European Union without a deal on future trading relations.

The aerospace company, which employs about 14,000 workers at 25 sites in the U.K., said it will "reconsider its long-term footprint in the country" if there is no deal — a scenario that looks increasingly likely as negotiations flounder.

Wings for Airbus planes, from the A320 to the superjumbo A380, are made in Britain for assembly in France and Germany.

It is the strongest warning yet from a major employer, coming after an industry study that suggests one in five manufacturers plans to lay off workers to cope with increased costs after Brexit.. . .