Liam Fox, Britain's international trade secretary responsible for negotiating post-Brexit trade deals, has been criticised by senior MEP Linda McAvan for suggesting British executives would rather play golf than export their goods and services.
Fox, a staunch Eurosceptic, told a reception that the UK had grown "too fat" on the successes of previous generations.
Downing Street issued a statement saying these were Fox's private opinions.
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Fox, however, has been roundly criticised over his comments, including by McAvan, a UK Socialist MEP.
On Monday, she told this website, "With Brexit negotiations just starting, these are already uncertain times for British business. The government needs to get a grip - what we don't need is the minister leading trade negotiations running down British business abroad."
Further condemnation came from British Labour MP Chuka Umunna, who said Fox's comments were "a complete disgrace, coming from the man supposed to be promoting our businesses globally" and that UK businesses deserved an apology.
"UK business must have woken up today, read Liam Fox's comments, and thought with friends like these who needs enemies", he tweeted.
Elsewhere, the chief executive of the Engineering Employers Federation in the UK, Terry Scuoler, said: "The comments from Liam Fox were extremely unwise and very unhelpful.
"What we're looking for in these uncertain times is support from government - not negativity - particularly through the forthcoming autumn statement."
Pat McFadden, Labour MP and supporter of the Open Britain campaign group pushing for a close relationship with the EU, said he was sceptical about how Fox could fulfil his role.
"If the government doesn't confirm it supports membership of the single market, it won't serve British business, but that is hardly surprising if ministers can't even speak up for British business," he said.
Meanwhile, a report by the Joseph Roundtree Foundation said that support for Brexit "varied not only between individuals, but also between areas."
The report, published on Monday, said, "People with all levels of qualifications were more likely to vote Leave in low-skill areas compared with high-skill areas."
However, this effect, it said, was stronger for the more highly qualified. In low-skilled communities, the difference in support for Leave between graduates and those with GCSEs was 20 points.
In high-skilled communities it was over 40 points.
In low-skill areas the proportion of A-level holders voting leave was closer to that of people with low-skills. In high-skill areas their vote was much more similar to graduates.
The report goes on, "Groups in Britain who have been 'left behind' by rapid economic change and feel cut adrift from the mainstream consensus were the most likely to support Brexit. These voters face a 'double whammy'.
"While their lack of qualifications puts them at a significant disadvantage in the modern economy, they are also being further marginalised in society by the lack of opportunities that faced in their low-skilled communities. This will make it extremely difficult for the left behind to adapt and prosper in future."