A leading Cumbrian MP says he is confident county businesses will continue to thrive regardless of the outcome of Brexit.

But Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron warned that county businesses would have to work hard to overcome the challenges placed before them – whether Britain left the European Union or not.

Speaking after a questions and answers session with local businesses and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, Mr Farron told in-Cumbria that there was “no nice way out of this”, and repeated calls for a second referendum or so-called “people’s vote” – a vote which he hopes will see the public reverse the decision to leave made in 2016.

“Let’s not pretend Brexit hasn’t massively damaged Britain’s standing in the world – it really has,” he told in-Cumbria.

“What hasn’t been damaged it the quality of our produce, the quality of our exports, the quality of our businesses. In many ways those businesses that deal with adversity are often the ones that are most creative.

“We’re about to have a whole bunch of adversity. I’m confident Cumbrian business will come out of this well, but they will have to work very hard to come through it well.”

Mr Farron – who stressed that calls for a second referendum were not undemocratic but rather checking the opinion of the nation after two years of wrangling in Parliament and with the EU – also laid out a stark warning for the county’s tourism industry.

He described curbs on the number of EU workers coming in to the UK as a “colossal threat”, estimating that at least 10,000 of the 60,000 or so people employed in the county’s tourism sector come from overseas.

Urging businesses to get in contact with home secretary Savid Javid to voice their fears over the potential for a £30,000 a year wage cap on EU workers coming to the UK post Brexit, Mr Farron also voiced his empathy for businesses battling on against the uncertainty caused by Brexit.

“Businesspeople are informed and know the situation but like everybody, me included, the situation can change day-to-day,” he said.

“Most people are aware that should Mrs May’s deal get passed, we’re maybe one per cent way through the trouble. You’ve probably got another 10 years then of negotiations, bedding in and all the rest of it. If there’s no-deal it is potentially more catastrophic.

“I don’t want to make massive assumptions, but as a betting person, there was probably 90 per cent of the people in the room would prefer us to either stay in the EU or have a Norway option where we stay in the single market.

“Both of those are on the table if the Prime Minister will entertain them and be flexible. Everybody in business knows that strength and stubbornness can be a positive trait from time-to-time, but if you’re not capable of being flexible and seek consensus then you’ll head for the rocks.

“I’m afraid the PM has done stubbornness to the point where it has gone passed being helpful for the country, and it is not helpful to Cumbrian business,” added Mr Farron, whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency was the only one in Cumbria to vote Remain during the 2016 referendum.

The MP’s comments came after his party leader and former business secretary, Sir Vince Cable discussed Brexit with around 60 business leaders gathered at The Mintworks business hub in Kendal at a Cumbria Chamber of Commerce hosted event.

Sir Vince described Brexit as a “disaster” and a national “embarrassment” and issued dire warnings for Britain’s economy should it leave the EU without a deal on March 29.