Why the North - and cities like Leeds - will always remember if political pledges following Brexit and UK’s withdrawal from EU are broken - Laura Collins, YEP editor

What a difference a few decades make.

The Yorkshire Evening Post’s unambiguous headline on June 6 1975 screamed: “The Big ‘Yes’ to Europe”.

As results flooded in the country headed towards a “massive yes vote in the Common Market referendum”.

Fast forward to 2016 and the headlines paint a very different picture, especially for Leeds.

The front page of this newspaper said “Sit up and hear the voice of the North. Plea to politicians after Leeds votes in by tiniest margin”.

And it is easy to see why those two front pages differ so greatly and the split so defined - Leeds is effectively two cities within a city.

The Prime Minister is due to lay out his plans today for the upcoming negotiations with the European Union following the UK’s formal withdrawal on Friday evening.

He is expected to tell his audience at his first speech that “no achievement lies beyond our reach”. Yet critics have hit out accusing the PM that his “scorched earth” approach flies in the face of his pledges to unite the country.

While the talks are complex - leaders would be well placed to remember the noises made from people living in Leeds and the north. Not only in the Referendum but also in the General

Election voters stood up to make their voices heard.

It was about using this mandate as a catalyst for change and that certainly played out when the political map was turned on its head in last year’s winter election.

Huge swathes of traditional Labour seats - very much like the one down the road in Wakefield - changed to blue overnight.

Politicians and leaders would be well placed to be reminded of the trust and the faith given to them from the electorate.

It’s time to put differences aside and focus on healing that sense of division.

A recent Edelman Trust survey shows a strong sense of disillusion within society.

There are very real concerns from those questioned in the 2020 trust barometer that a growing sense of inequality is calling into question the matter of trust. Distrust is being driven by a sense of unfairness in the system - 57 per cent of the general population say government serves the interest of only the few.

There are very real concerns about the loss of jobs due to a variety of reasons including a lack of skills and automation.

And three in four of those surveyed said they were concerned about the fact fake news would be used as a weapon.

So how do we start to look at addressing these issues?

Now isn’t the time for hot air and bluster. It’s about following through on pledges to build up and restore that trust and faith, not only in Whitehall but also locally to those who have a stake in shaping society.

And if that doesn’t happen? Well the North and cities like Leeds will certainly remember.