Towns that voted in favour of Brexit will be hardest hit by its effects for the next 10 years, researchers have warned.

The Carnegie Trust says its research shows that those who voted to leave during Brexit were more likely to live in towns that have been neglected by policy makers.

Its report, New Powers, New Deals: Remaking British Towns after Brexit, calls for more support for towns and says leaving the EU could give them a more central role in public policy.

This could include setting up investment vehicles for towns similar to city region deals.

Lead author of the report, Professor Duncan Maclennan, said: ‘Our research tells us that those who voted to leave during Brexit were more likely to live in towns that have been neglected by policy makers.

‘These difficulties primarily arose because of UK failures in managing places rather than membership of the EU.

‘Brexit is more likely to exacerbate than resolve the difficulties of most UK towns and although it may be too soon to really know what the precise impact of Brexit on towns will be, it’s clear that there needs to be action now to ensure that present neglect ends.’

Mark Whitehead (LGA)

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