Peterborough has been short-listed to house a new £1m Museum of Brexit.

The only other place to get on the short-list is Boston, Lincolnshire.

A final decision is expected early next year.

Dr Lee Rotherham, who has led the museum team in finding and appraising the options for a permanent site said, “This has been a long and involved process.

“Each of the 50 initial locations were put through a matrix of 14 criteria.

“This brought the long list down to a point where we could review individual sites on a separate set of fresh criteria relating to the buildings themselves.

This was a difficult task as there are some remarkable sites out there.

He said: “In the end we have decided that the two buildings most suitable for our needs are in the town of Boston in Lincolnshire, or the City of Peterborough.

“Both of these buildings would match the requirements of the museum in display space, archive space, and the ability to run educational programs.

“What is vital is that this project is sustainable, financially and historically. We are not looking at the next 10 years, we are looking at the next hundred.”

He said talks were ongoing to create a museum “that will be able to talk about the history of Brexit, but also the longer story of the United Kingdom's sovereignty”.

Dr Rotherham says it will also reflect international ties of trade and culture and the “personal stories that bring this epoch-making period of our history to life”.

He says The Museum of Brexit is supported by many on both sides of the referendum question, and aims to provide a fair and balanced view of the campaign and what led up to the campaign.

The Museum of Brexit will contain a library and archive collection for academics and provides “apolitical support on matters relating to Brexit, especially within the EU itself.”

The museum won charity commission status earlier this year and is now looking to raise the cash it needs.

In Peterborough 61 per cent voted leave: in Boston 76 per cent voted leave.

If funding is secured the museum could open as early as 2023.