We need a sense of place

The industrial strategy is good in parts, but it needs a stronger geographical dimension.

Let’s be clear. The UK government’s industrial strategy is a welcome step, as far as it goes. But it is questionable whether the strategy offers enough to deal with the disruption that Brexit is likely to bring, or to properly grasp the opportunities and challenges of the fourth industrial revolution.

Indeed, despite more hype than a new Adele album, the white paper had a pretty tepid welcome. This is not the great leap forward that was promised. Yes, the scale of its ambitions is impressive. Think of the UK being at the forefront of artificial intelligence and data, being a world leader in moving people and goods, maximising the advantages from the shift to clean energy, or harnessing innovation to meet the needs of an ageing society.