It is funny how the ‘despite Brexit’ mantra still persists. Happily, since it has been called out, media outlets have stopped using it. Less happily, they have chosen to ignore positive Brexit stories altogether, just to make sure we don’t happen to think it might be alright after all.

Like this one, for example. Oldham is an area that voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU. I have written to my local MP – who was himself a ardent remainer – and you can read his response to me here. I had hoped he would recognise his powers had been lent to him by his constituents (as, I am quite sure, his predecessor Michael Meacher would have happily noted) and would be willing to represent them as he ought.

To that end, he might like to make a lot of this story. It is, indeed, good news for Oldham and entirely in line with the Brexit that Oldhammers voted for. Hill Panels Products (HPP) have added a new £3 million production line that will lead to an increase in jobs for the local area. The company supply products by UK and European brands and increased its sales by 16% last year, on top of a 15% increase the previous year. The Oldham Times report:

Company chairman Stephen Hill added: “We manufactured 20,000 doors per month 18 months ago. Then output rose to 30,000 in 2018. With this new production line, output will rise to 45,000 per month and we have the capacity to go higher to 50,000 or more.

Then, of course, there is car manufacturing. We heard an awful lot about the terrible blow to Sunderland that Nissan wasn’t going to make a new model at its plant. We heard much less about the fact that they were continuing to make their existing cars and there would be no job losses at their existing plant.

But, if it is new models of cars being made in the UK that matter, then Guido Fawkes has some good news for us. The blog report here:

Just last month Toyota commenced production of the new 2019 Corolla at its Burnaston plant in Derbyshire where over 3000 people are employed. The Corolla is not a niche SUV like the Nissan X-Trail, it is the best-selling car model in the world.

Not bad “despite Brexit”, eh?