Every government has an industrial strategy however it is articulated: government affects the investment climate for business through tax and regulation; establishes national priorities; invests in skills, infrastructure and research; and procures outputs from the private sector – all of which influence the evolution of the private economy. In this article we draw on the recent LSE Growth Commission report (2017) to set out proposals for the key areas of focus for policy-makers developing the inevitable iteration of the UK’s industrial strategy following the 2017 general election.