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LONDON, March 27-- London is at "immediate risk" of a hugely damaging 22 billion British pounds (31.17 billion U.S. dollars) economic hit in the event of a worst-case scenario hard Brexit, a report warned Tuesday. The British capital is more exposed than the rest of Britain to a chaotic cliff-edge departure from the European Union because of its heavy dependence on the service sector, particularly financial services, and its reliance on skilled workers from the European continent, the report said. Brexit is arguably one of the most urgent and pressing issues facing London and the British economy. The report, entitled "Brexit and the Metropolitan Areas," was commissioned by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It said that the economy of London "is at immediate risk from Brexit if not handled carefully." This means a "no-deal" scenario next March would see the capital's economic growth slump into the slow lane compared with the rest of the island country, said the report from the city forecasters, the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), one of British leading economics consultancies. Failure to secure a Brexit deal with the EU could leave more than 2.5 million jobs vulnerable or at risk, a separate report warned earlier this year, adding that sectors such as professional, scientific, administrative and technical services are likely to be the hardest hit in such a scenario. Brexit could cost London 5.5 percent of growth, equivalent to 22 billion pounds (31.17 billion U.S. dollars) of output, over 15 years, the report said. | 
