The key question is what does Brexit mean?

The result of the EU referendum is clear and unambigious. The UK will leave the European Union. When not if. Stopping 43 years of membership of the EU is a significant moment in the history of our island nation but has to be seen in the context of the great sweep of history. In 1939, for example, it was not clear that we would survive as a nation. Only with hindsight can we see that our determined resolve at that time would lead to ultimate success.

The political arena is the most obvious one where the impact of the referendum vote is having an impact. The impact of the result however will be felt in every area of life, institution, organisation, business, voluntary group, and community across the country. In every city, town and village, everyone everywhere will need to adjust and think afresh about how as a country and as individuals we think about ourselves and our futures. This will take time.

The post Brexit world will require completely new thinking from government, its officials, businesses and every part of society. The Chancellor has already begun to indicate the dramatic changes that will be required to the economy. The economy, its structure and the way it is organised, is likely to change dramatically. The economic as well as the political settlement is changing.

As the party of government the question most urgently needs to be addressed by those seeking to lead the Conservative Party. MPs and members of the party need to know very clearly what the policy of the new leader will be. Whatever the result of the contest there are bound to be a number of Conservatives who are not pleased with what happens next – either because it is not what they wanted in the first place or because they do not feel the new leader is keeping faith with their understanding of the meaning of the Brexit vote.

To say the UK will leave the EU is the easy part. Invoke Article 50, the mechanism whereby a government gives notice of intention to leave, followed by the two year period allowed for negotiation and then on a given date withdrawal. MEPs return home, the Parliament channel stops covering the endless mind numbing Euro-Parliament debates, blue passports are reissued, and off we go.

The UK was always half out of the EU in reality. No single currency, no participation in Schengen, opt-outs from various bits of regulation, so the impact of departure will be much less than it would be on other members of the EU. Our priority now is to sort out what our trade deal with the EU area is going to be. Essentially it boils down to access to the Single Market and Labour Movement. Of the two Labour Movement – economic migration/immigration – is by far the most sensitive subject. There will be no easy answer to this issue for whoever becomes Prime Minister.

The destination of the journey is not in doubt. The route we take on this journey remains unclear. What is clear there are as many answers to this question as there are people ready to express a view. What we need is for our new Prime Minister to have set out their view as clearly as possible as soon as possible.