What the policy landscape of the UK would look like now had Britain voted to remain in the EU is hard to guess, but it is clear the vote for Brexit prompted an amplified focus on economic growth. Theresa May's Industrial Strategy green paper was a manifestation of this.

The results of 23 June, almost a year ago now, revealed a palpable sense of discontent and disaffection among swathes of the population – a sentiment felt intensely in many of the country's mid-sized cities and larger towns.