EU team visits Preston

Common Ground UK is a non-partisan organisation, which says is hopes to keep Britain within the European Union.

It is visiting 10 towns that voted Leave in the referendum - Preston being one of them, with 53 per cent voting in favour of leaving.

Director Edward Morgan, who was born in Preston but is now based in London, said the group had met with business leaders, residents, council leader Peter Rankin and Conservative group leader Neil Cartwright.

He said: “It’s been completely fascinating because outside of London, where we’re based, people see the world very differently.

“We are going to places that voted leave, to listen to leaders rather than lecture them.

“If you’re based in London you can forget Britain is a big place and people have a vast range of views.

“It’s a pleasure to come to Preston, and some of the things coming through are interesting.

“There’s a sense that towns across the North West, parts of those towns feel left out and left behind, and that’s one thing that’s coming across.

“Another is Preston is quite resilient. People tell you Brexit is going to happen, but there’s a spirit about Preston, there’s a resilience, people are quite pragmatic and are not too het up about it.

“They have strong views but the world will keep turning.

“Preston is on the up and its’s going to come through this whatever path Brexit takes.”