Planning late autumn events months in advance outside London can be a haphazard affair when it comes to booking speakers because the Autumn Statement is usually only announced weeks beforehand – or even less! Three years ago the-then business secretary Vince Cable pulled out of speaking at one of The MJ's seminars in Bristol because he had to attend the Autumn Statement, itself suddenly postponed at the last minute by a day as the prime mninister had gone to China.

I am glad to say that last week's well-attended second The MJ Future Forum North event in Manchester faced no such problem. Chancellor Philip Hammond's first Autumn Statement took place the previous week, giving our top notch speakers plenty of time to absorb its messages.