Across the political and media landscape, there is no shortage of reference to the potential for a ‘Roaring Twenties’ style recovery as we finally emerge from the majority of restrictions associated with COVID that have been in place for the past two years. Will local government be dancing the Charleston or will it be another false dawn in terms of the prospect of better times ahead?

While the 1920s have been long considered as a decade of progress, following a global pandemic which brought trauma to society, it is important to also acknowledge that the 1920s were anything but roaring for many in the UK. They were instead characterised by growing unemployment, stagnating wages and sluggish productivity.