Whatever happens to the economy over the next two years as the Brexit negotiations grind on, these are salad days for lawyers and lobbyists. Every sector will be furiously arm-twisting MPs and ministers, pleading to be regarded as a special case in any Brexit deal.

The danger for local government which is up against some powerful lobbyists like the City, big business, hotels and caterers or the car industry, is it could find itself elbowed to the back of the queue even though it is hugely affected by EU legislation.