June was an acutely challenging month for many of our places, our nation and the sector. The ramifications are ongoing and will be for months to come. There was also the election, a political moment worthy of considerable reflection For many of us, it offered a pause for thought which eluded us in the weeks that followed. But pause for reflection we must.

Others are better placed to comment on the remarkable results. We will all have views, but my professional interest is in the implication for public services.

This was an election heavy on debate about public spending and the size of the state: how much and who should pay; universalism versus targeting; the desirability and means of taxing wealth and capital inter-generational fairness. The starting point for these debates did not always break along traditional party lines. Nor, as the election outcome revealed, were these questions resolved.