As you’d expect, the data shows gains and losses. Our countries and regions are diverse, and combine heritage and new growth in their own way. 

What is clear, however, is that there are themes that resonate across all the stakeholders we spoke to, whether businesses, local government organisations or academics. The need for investment, particularly in infrastructure was a major sticking point. 

Also, human capital – people and their skills - hold the key to faster, more inclusive growth. The UK is running out of workers. Brexit will only accentuate the challenges. In the last ten years people from other EU countries have accounted for almost half of the new jobs created in the UK. Our interviews also highlight the vital role of transport infrastructure, not least in enabling workers to move between and within regions. A poor score on worker mobility recently led the World Economic Forum to downgrade the UK in its global competitiveness league from 6th to 8th position.