Government intervention is back in vogue. Not too long ago, the words “industrial strategy” would have brought many business people out in hives. Surely we should let the free market be, allow survival of the fittest. Don’t you remember the Seventies?

Now, everything has changed. With the Brexit vote and the triggering of Article 50 behind us, what lies ahead? We are moving into uncharted territory and at a time like this, it is understandable that business is supportive of a more interventionist steer from Government.

Despite causing much of the uncertainty, Brexit will also create new opportunities. EU rules ban the UK from state aid, enforcing the ruthlessness of the market often at a very high cost. For instance, EU rules on state aid tied the Government’s hands when it came to the survival of Tata Steel. Should such a situation arise in the future, the Government would in theory have more options.