Next profits fall but boss says Brexit not affecting spending

Profits at retail chain’s stores slump by more than a fifth but online arm reports growth UK retail sales up despite Brexit uncertaintyThe chief executive of Next has said trading had not been affected by Brexit as consumers were “numb” to a political soap opera that had not hurt their own finances yet.The comments by Simon Wolfson, a Conservative peer and prominent Vote Leave supporter, came as Next reported a third year of falling profits on the back of a marked deterioration