If there is a hard Brexit and we are no longer part of a protected EU market, there is an opportunity to rebalance the UK economy away from London and the South East under a devolution agenda, providing a boost to the regions. These regions can play a crucial role in Brexit as drivers of economic growth under the prime minister's industrial strategy. 

Michael Heseltine's 2012 report ‘no stone unturned' had already convinced government of the necessity to drive growth in the regions, but Brexit should be seen as an opportunity to usher in serious change, tackling the historic prosperity gap between London and the South East with the rest of the country.