LONDON, July 14 (Reuters) - Britain will suffer graveeconomic damage if it tries to slash immigration after lastmonth's vote to leave the European Union, according to a retailboss who was among the leading business supporters of 'Brexit'.
Simon Wolfson, chief executive of fashion group Next, told the BBC he wanted the government to gain "somecontrol" over levels of immigration but added: "Any move toreduce immigration to the tens of thousands would be verydangerous for the economy."
Immigration dominated the final weeks of the June 23referendum, with many voters apparently swayed by the 'Leave'campaign's argument that Brexit would enable the government tocut immigration and spend more on public services.
Official data published shortly before the vote showed thatnet migration to Britain reached its second highest level onrecord last year, hitting 333,000. Former prime minister DavidCameron had promised to reduce the level to the tens ofthousands.
Since the vote, several figures from the Leave campaign havesaid immigration was not their main motivation. The governmentwill now need to embark on the process of extricating Britainfrom the EU while avoiding damage to its economy.
"I believe we should gain some control but we can either tryand trade our way out of this mess or we can try and protectourselves by erecting barriers to trade and movement of people,"Wolfson, a member of Britain's upper house of parliament and aprominent supporter of the ruling Conservative Party, told theBBC.
"If we try and protect our way out of this, we are doomed."
Asked if voters would not feel betrayed if immigration doesnot fall over time, he replied: "I voted Leave and I certainlywon't feel betrayed if immigration is not brought down to tensof thousands. I think it would be very dangerous to bringimmigration down to those levels - you only have to go into anyhospital in the United Kingdom to see how important immigrantsare."
The National Health Service relies heavily on foreign staff.
Wolfson added: "People want control of their borders butthey don't necessarily want all immigration to stop." (Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)