The Yorkshire Post says: Don't forget the public services as police now warn of Brexit limbo

Yet there can only be two reasons to explain the inaction by Ministers. Either they do not sufficiently care or the work of the Government has come to a stop because of the political battles being waged in the Cabinet, and in Parliament, over the manner of this country’s departure from the EU next March.

And given the New Year will begin with a fresh attempt by Theresa May to persuade MPs to back her Withdrawal Agreement, it is even more important that Ministers do not lose sight of the domestic agenda.

The Yorkshire Post says: Health warnings over NHS and Brexit contingencies

After all, critical decisions about the future of policing, healthcare and education, and their funding, cannot be put on hold ad infinitum. They still need to be addressed – irrespective of Brexit’s final outcome.

In their defence, Ministers will point out that a Comprehensive Spending Review is still due to be held next year, and that the final calculations cannot be made until the economic impact of Brexit becomes clearer to calculate.

However they should remember that austerity is supposed to be over according to Theresa May, and that a by-product of Brexit would be more money being made available for key services here.

This is why Ministers should heed today’s message from Tory and Labour crime commissioners in Yorkshire to invest in police to counter recent rises in violent crime.

Not only would this assuage all those who want the police to be better resourced, but it would also signal to the rest of the country that Mrs May’s agenda does, in fact, extend beyond survival and getting Brexit over the line in some form. As such, the New Year must mean a fresh start and change of emphasis – or the Tories risk playing even further into the hands of Labour.