The Northern Agenda: Recent Episodes
Laudable
The Northern Agenda is a weekly podcast covering politics and public affairs from across the North of England.
With Covid-19 highlighting the huge regional inequalities in the UK, and Boris Johnson under pressure to deliver on a promise to 'level up' the nation, it is more important than ever for Northern voices to be heard.
The Northern Agenda provides you with a digest of the stories that matter, voiced by journalists who are outside the Westminster bubble. We'll bring you expert insight and analysis while reporting from the other side of the North/South divide.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Let's start with a question: how often do you go to your nearest town or city centre? For many, the answer would be: not as much as I used to. And there are a host of reasons for that: the rise of online shopping, people working from home instead of offices, and even the cost of living crisis. It is perhaps easy to understand, then, why Britain has lost 6,000 storefronts in just five years after the combined pressures of Covid, the cost of living crisis, and the rise in business rates. Local leaders have described these factors on our high streets as "devastating". But at the same time, it is clear that the state of our high streets, whether it's in a big city centre or a small market town, really matters to voters who consistently put it at the top of their priorities. If we are no longer going to our towns to shop, our urban centres need to offer something different in order to survive - whether that's leisure, green space, or even somewhere to live. On this week's episode, Rob Parsons investigates how this agenda is progressing across the North, speaking to those in the know in Wakefield, a city in West Yorkshire, and Ormskirk, a smaller market town in Lancashire. The Northern Agenda editor also speaks to a national leading expert on town centre management on what these places need to do to succeed. Rob chats to: ⬆️ Michael Graham, the Labour councillor for Wakefield West ⬆️ Ojay McDonald, Chief Executive of the Association of Town & City Management ⬆️ Jamie Lopez, senior reporter for Lancs Live
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you own a small business in the North of England and you're either starting up or trying to grow to the next level, the chances are you'll be after some financial backing to make that happen. But for many firms, access to finance can be hard to come by - and that's where the British Business Bank and its chief executive Louis Taylor comes in. The agency, founded in 2014 and with its headquarters in Sheffield, underpins debt and equity provision to small and medium-sized companies and aims to make the business finance market fairer, more efficient and more diverse. It's also recently launched a new £200m investment fund in the South West and Louis, who grew up in the North East tells Rob Parsons about his commitment to helping unlock the potential that exists in our region, address regional imbalances and make sure finance markets work better for entrepreneurs, no matter where they are in the country. And Rob also chats about the big stories of the week - including A-Levels and the glorious Lionesses - with Ruth Hannan, director of the People's Powerhouse movement.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you opened Friday's Northern Agenda newsletter you won't have been able to miss the cartoon by Graeme Bandeira featuring Nadine Dorries, the Merseyside-born Tory MP and former Culture Secretary who seems to be absent without leave from her constituency in Bedfordshire. She's failed to speak in the Commons for more than a year and hasn't voted in Parliament since April, but as her constituents are finding out, it's very difficult to get rid of an absentee MP outside election season. But at local level in our town halls the rules are very different, as Hull councillor Sarah Harper-Riches found out to her cost. Councillors cease to be a member of their authority if they fail to attend any meeting for six consecutive months. But her recall has sparked fury as her absence was triggered first by the birth of her first daughter but then because she suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, delaying her return to local politics. She spoke to Rob Parsons about the shock of being kicked off Hull council and why her story matters for the diversity of who represents us at local level.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's been described as the country's longest cul-de-sac, but is the town of Barrow-in-Furness the next powerhouse for the North? That's the vision set out by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, as he aims to help Barrow take advantage of its thriving shipyard and its status as a green energy hotspot. But as high-skilled workers from across the world descend on Barrow, can it overcome the dire reputation of its town centre and its poor transport links, with just one major road going in and out? Rob Parsons looks at what the future holds for the place Bill Bryson described as 'just about the most out-on-a-limb, end-of-the-line place in England' with local Conservative MP Simon Fell. This week the podcast also explores a vital issue for any economy in the year 2023. As developing technology and digital industries - from AI to cyber-security - grow in importance, do people in the North have the skills and opportunities to take the jobs they create? And furthermore, why is that tens of thousands of people are simply too poor to even be able to connect to the internet. Rob speaks to an expert guest in the form of Mo Isap, the Salford-based founder of the technology firm In4Group who is responsible for the UK's largest technology skills bootcamp programme.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
With the cut and thrust of politics dying down a bit for the summer, Rob Parsons gets his teeth into an issue we all have to confront at some point: the state of our teeth. He looks at the stark North-South divide in England when it comes to rotten teeth and oral health. The Northern Agenda editor speaks to Jennifer Owen, a dentist in the North East, who's administering the fillings and tooth extractions for one of the worst affected areas; Eddie Crouch, a leading figure in the body that represents dentists about why it is some areas have more teeth decay than others; and Mary Foy, an MP who has raised the issue in Parliament, and who is demanding urgent action from the government. Rob also looks at the numbers behind the story with The North in Numbers podcast host and ace data reporter, Annie Gouk.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
They could well win three by-elections this week, but actually it's been a tough few days for Keir Starmer's Labour Party, who have had to front up to the fact that some of what he'd hoped to offer the electorate next year just won't be possible because to coin a phrase, there's no money left. It means that in the interests of economic stability a Labour government wouldn't end the cap on benefits for families with more than two children, something a number of prominent Labour politicians have previously expressed their outrage about. So who better to ask about Labour's much more prudent approach to its spending than Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor who could be in charge of the public purse strings in just a few months time? She was speaking at a meeting in her home city of Leeds of Northern Gritstone, an organisation which invests in innovative ideas from Northern universities and aims to turn them into big, impactful businesses. Rob Parsons asks her about innovation in the North, what the new economic reality means for Labour's promises on green jobs and HS2, and what she makes of North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll quitting the party. We also hear from Leeds academic Professor Piers Forster, an expert in climate physics who's helped write some of the most globally significant reports on climate change. He's the director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures and as of last month he's the interim chair of the Climate Change Committee, the independent body that advises the UK government on how to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. With greenhouse gas emissions at record levels, heatwaves sweeping the globe and Rishi Sunak facing criticism for not taking the issue seriously, it feels like a critical time for this most pressing of issues. But what can we do to help in the North?
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Back in 2019 as Labour's red wall was crumbling in the North, Boris Johnson ally Nigel Adams was strolling to a 20,000 majority in the safe North Yorkshire seat of Selby and Ainsty. So it says something about how the fortunes of the main parties have changed since then that when locals go to the polls in next week's by-election - caused by Nigel Adams quitting after failing to get a peerage - there's every chance that Labour could cause a huge upset and take the seat. After a fair amount of cajoling and WhatsApp messages Rob Parsons managed to secure interviews with the candidates for both the main parties. For Labour there's Keir Mather, a 25-year-old who was born in Hull and grew up near Selby, who's most recent job was at the Confederation of British Industry. And the Conservatives' candidate, chosen at the second attempt, is Claire Holmes, a barrister and a local councillor in the East Riding of Yorkshire. How's the campaign going, what are the big issues for voters, and what do they make of each other? Have a listen and find out. Rob also catches up on this week's Northern news - including hydrogen in our homes, a possible U-turn on the North's railways and a new investment zone for South Yorkshire - with Henri Murison of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There's nothing that excites politics-watchers at Westminster like the arrival of a new group or faction, particularly in the ruling party. The latest emerged this week in the form of the New Conservatives, mostly made up of recently-elected Tory MPs including quite a few in the North, and they're calling for what they describe as "a new era in which Westminster respects the views, values and interests of the British people". And their controversial plan to lower migration levels - and help solve the country's social care crisis into the bargain - involves ending temporary visa schemes for care workers coming in from abroad. Rob Parsons speaks to one of the group's members, Bolton West MP Chris Green, about how the policy would work and whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is likely to listen.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rob Parsons is in Sheffield this week, attending the Northern Powerhouse Education, Employment and Skills Summit - a conference focused on levelling up skills in the North. The Northern Agenda editor grabbed a quick chat with education secretary Gillian Keegan, hearing her reaction to Andy Burnham's proposal for a “Greater Manchester Baccalaureate” - or MBacc. The Tory minister, who is originally from Lancashire, disagrees with the Greater Manchester mayor, believing that there should be a national plan for vocational education - like the T Levels that are already in place - for young people. And Rob speaks to Kim McGuinness, the police and crime commissioner for Northumbria, about her campaign to run for the newly-created position of Mayor of the North East next summer. The Labour politician answers questions about her manifesto, including pledges on child poverty and a tourist tax, as well as her feelings on the North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll being denied a place on her party's longlist.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We've all heard of Levelling Up - but this week there was a launch of a book called Levelling Up 2.0: A Blueprint for the Future, by the policy institute Curia, where Michael Gove, the Cabinet Minister in charge of the project, gave a keynote speech. Could it be a sign that the concept which was on everyone's lips when Boris Johnson was Prime Minister needs some fresh impetus to get it back on the political agenda? This week on the podcast Rob Parsons speaks to Katherine Fletcher, Tory MP for South Ribble in Lancashire, who wrote a chapter in the book. She talks about why we should be focusing on more than just big boys' trains sets when talking about transport links, and why a mayor like Andy Burnham might not be the answer for her home county of Lancashire. And Rob has a look at some of this week's more interesting politics stories - like sewage in the water and the impact of soaring interest rates - with a brilliant Northern journalist who's made his name in London, Kevin Maguire, associate editor at the Daily Mirror.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
So what's the big battleground likely to be at the next election, above stopping the boats and even the NHS? It's the economy stupid, in the immortal words of Bill Clinton. Sky-high inflation rates mean our money's not going as far as it used to as wage increases are outstripped by rising prices and we're all having to cut back, with many families in the North now really struggling. But is there an end in sight now for the UK's economic pain - and will people living in the North see the same kind of recovery as those in London and the South East? As a wider point, are the efforts by the Government to level up and tackle regional inequalities having any impact on the economic prospects of towns, cities and villages in our region? We've got a great expert guest to answer those questions and more in the shape of Simon French, the chief economist of Panmure Gordon, an investment bank with a big office in Leeds. And Rob Parsons speaks to Charlotte Nichols, Labour MP for Warrington South, about her tumultuous time in Parliament so far, battling post-traumatic stress disorder and why being a politician at Westminster is like no other job.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Should Labour party bosses in Westminster or local party members be in charge of who the party puts forward for the biggest political jobs? Labour leader Keir Starmer is facing severe criticism this week for excluding the left-wing North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll from the Labour shortlist to be the first ever metro mayor of the North East. And there's been a huge backlash to the Government's plans to house hundreds of asylum seekers in barges, with Merseyside and Teesside the reported sites the Government are looking at. Rob Parsons looks at both these stories with Ruth Hannan, who's based in Manchester and is a director of the People's Powerhouse, a movement that aims to bring Northerners together to have a say on what the future of the North should be. And she explains why she's picked a fight with Northern Powerhouse Partnership chairman Lord Jim O'Neill after he set out how growth, investment and high wages should be the cornerstone of the North's future.
Don't forget you can now watch the best interviews from The Northern Agenda podcast on YouTube - check out our playlist at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzE0rXt9oGq2nfc3VHw-Pzx1tttiLpP6z
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jonathan Ashworth, Labour's Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, joins Rob Parsons on The Northern Agenda podcast this week to discuss his plans to help people get back into work.
The Leicester South MP, who grew up in Greater Manchester, used a major speech to accuse the Conservatives of “disincentivising work” as he sets out Labour’s plans to reform out-of-work support and give those with ill-health help back into jobs.
He's promised to devolve more employment support to allow local areas more control over the employment support they want.
And for the first time, information about sexual orientation and gender identity was included in the Census, giving us a chance to get a sense of the size of the LQBTQ+ communities in our towns and cities across the North.
The Northern Agenda's Dan McLaughlin talks to Malcom Struthers from a pride group in Hebden Bridge, the West Yorkshire town with perhaps the biggest gay and lesbian community outside our major cities about their continuing fight for equality in the so-called Happy Valley.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Hello and welcome to The Northern Agenda podcast - back for 2023 fully refreshed after a Christmas break and ready to take in invigorating new year dive into some of the big politics stories affecting the North.
Whilst we want to wish you a Happy New Year, it is not looking terribly happy for Northern town hall leaders.
Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons speaks to Barnsley council's Sir Stephen Houghton, one of the longest-serving local authority leaders in the country, about the bleak forecasts ahead for local government in our region.
With 12 years of austerity cuts knocking the stuffing out of many of our local councils, and inflation biting, things could be about to get worse.
Sir Stephen discusses the unfair funding system that means people in the North don't get the same public services as their southern counterparts.
But a bit of good news, though! It's set to be a massive year for anyone interested in the arts and creativity with the launch of Leeds 2023, a year of culture modelled on the European Capital of Culture.
The people behind it say in the next 12 months Leeds will burst into life, fuelled by creativity and the aim of opening more opportunities for more people.
Abigail Scott Paul, Director of External Relations and Strategic Partnerships at Leeds 2023, tells the podcast what you can expect from the huge programme of events in the Yorkshire city.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
This week, The Northern Agenda podcast takes a look at the North's second big by-election in December to elect a new MP.
After Labour romped to victory in the City of Chester, can they do the same in the Greater Manchester seat of Stretford and Urmston?
Rob Parsons speaks to Local Democracy Reporter Nick Jackson about what's happening ahead of the by-election on Thursday.
And when you hear the Government talking about their much-trumpeted concept of levelling up and its benefits to Northern communities, it's a pretty safe bet they'll be looking at Teesside, that's places like Redcar, Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees.
One of the few areas with anything tangible to show from the Government's flagship domestic agenda, this former industrial area now has a gaggle of Tory MPs where Labour politicians used to be and a Conservative metro mayor hoping to replace the old steel-making jobs with those powered by clean energy.
But are the prospects for Teesside getting any better with all the attention it's had lavished on it by government?
Rob asks Karl Pemberton, the managing director of Active Chartered Financial Planners, based in Stockton-On-Tees) and the Chair of the Institute of Directors in the North East (South).
He looks after business interests in the Tees Valley so is a great person to give us a balanced view on what's going on there.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
We're heading out to the countryside for our political guest this week, as the world is going through its worst-ever outbreak of bird flu.
In the UK it's been reported that around 600,000 of Britain's 1.2 million free-range turkeys produced annually have died in recent weeks from the current avian influenza outbreak.
Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons speaks to Dr Neil Hudson, a Tory MP from rural Cumbria and the only vet in the House of Commons, about the toll the epidemic has taken on the poultry industry and what we can do to help.
And we hear about a campaign dedicated to accelerating gender equality and social mobility from the North of England, backed by more than 70,000 people.
Northern Power Women's CEO and founder Simone Roche joins Rob on the podcast to discuss the campaign.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
(Image: Getty Images)
This week's podcast is coming to you from The People's Powerhouse Annual Convention. The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons is joined by a series of speakers and guests at the 'This is the North' conference, held in Manchester.
To discuss the events of the day, as well as what the North needs to progress and thrive, Rob chatted to:
⬆️ Finn Oldfield, media and comms co-ordinator at The People's Powerhouse
⬆️ Edna Robinson, chair of The People's Powerhouse
⬆️ Jonathon Prasad, research associate at the Global Race Centre for Equality, based at the University of Central Lancashire
⬆️ Nicola Lynch, a social impact and social value consultant
⬆️ Beth Abbit, journalist and editor of the Mancunian Way newsletter from the Manchester Evening News
⬆️ Nathan Parker, spoken word artist, who wrote and performed the 'This is the North' poem for the conference
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
As we were recording this week's podcast, the Housing Secretary Michael Gove was up in Rochdale for talks with the local housing association that owned the flat where two-year-old Awaab Ishak died after prolonged exposure to mould.
Awaab died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould in a one-bedroom housing association flat. His parents, Faisal Abdullah and Aisha Amin, who came to the UK from Sudan, repeatedly complained about the mould and they say they weren't listened to because of who they were.
Since the full horrendous details of little Awaab's death, Mr Gove has taken personal involvement in making sure housing associations like Rochdale Boroughwide Housing do more to prevent future tragedies.
He has blocked the £1 million in funding RBH was due to receive to build new homes and won't give it any more until it proves it is a responsible landlord. The social landlord's chief executive - who earned £170,000 last year - has been kicked out and its directors have promised to do more to up their game.
But is that enough? Before he stepped into the Commons for a debate about Awaab's death, local Labour MP, Tony Lloyd, spoke to The Northern Agenda producer Dan McLaughlin.
And, as we head into Christmas, there's a present coming down the chimney with Santa for anyone who enjoys swingometers, late night results and canvassing for votes in the cold and wet.
The next few weeks will see not one, not two but three by-elections for Parliamentary seats in the North of England, putting Westminster watchers on high alert as they try to assess what it all means for the fortunes of the party leaders.
On December 15, we'll find out who will be replacing Kate Green in the Greater Manchester seat of Stretford and Urmston, as she leaves to become Andy Burnham's deputy mayor. And sometime in early 2023, there'll be a by-election in West Lancashire, where the incumbent MP Rosie Cooper is resigning to take up the job as Chair of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.
But the first by-election grabbing our attention is in Chester, triggered by the resignation of Christian Matheson after complaints of “serious sexual misconduct” against him - which he denies - were upheld by a parliamentary watchdog.
What have these three seats all got in common? They're all held by Labour with pretty big majorities, so it'd be a big surprise if they changed hands.
But there's still plenty of local angles to be interested in, so to find out what the big issues at play in Chester, Rob Parsons speak to Mark Smith, a Local Democracy Reporter who covers Cheshire West & Chester.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Reactions are coming in following the Autumn Statement from Jeremy Hunt on Thursday - and one of those voicing their concern - and indeed, anger - is West of Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin.
The Labour metro mayor tells The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons why she is "furious" with the Chancellor, believing that her region has been left out by the Treasury.
It was nearly a year ago that a major report emerged which painted a stark picture of inequality for children growing up in the North of England post-pandemic compared to those in the rest of the country.
The massive costs to society and the UK’s economy of rising inequality were outlined in The Child of the North: Building a fairer future after COVID-19 report, written by over 40 leading academics from across the North with the Northern Health Science Alliance.
It looked at a wide range of factors, from child poverty to children in care, to build up a picture of the challenges faced by the young people trying to make their way across the region.
The report sets out 18 clear recommendations to tackle the widening gap - but did anyone listen?
Emma Lewell-Buck, the Labour MP for South Shields in the North East, tells the podcast about a new All-Party Parliamentary Group she is chairing, dedicated to the Child of the North.
And a big story in London cultural circles in the last few days is the future of the English National Opera.
It's currently based in London but Arts Council England, who provide much of its funding, say it will only carry on getting public sector support if it moves out of the capital, possibly to Manchester.
The likes of opera singer Sir Bryn Terfel are up in arms but the move is part of a wider move by the Arts Council to prioritise cultural schemes outside London - we've seen projects across the North be names as so-called National Portfolio Organisations for the first time meaning they'll get vital public subsidy to offer arts and culture in our towns and cities.
But even before this announcement, 2022 was shaping up to be a really positive year for Northern arts and culture, with a host of new venues either opening or re-opening.
The Factory – Manchester International Festival’s new permanent home – is set to reshape the city’s cultural output and standing, and promises “one of Europe’s most ambitious and adventurous year-round creative programmes”.
Randel Bryan, Executive Director and Deputy Chief Executive at Factory International, tells Rob about the exciting future for the arts in Manchester and the North
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons is joined by Liam Thorp, political editor of the Liverpool Echo, to take a look back on some of the big stories in Northern politics.
One of which involves Michael Gove, now back in post as Levelling Up Secretary, who is stepping up the government's intervention into Liverpool City Council. Liam gives his verdict on the expanded intervention in Merseyside.
And whilst 93% of people went to state schools in the UK, they make up a much smaller proportion of our top professions.
Just a third are FTSE 350 CEOs, 35% are senior judges, 43% make up the House of Lords, and just over half are journalists.
But there's a pretty new organisation that's joining the fight to level up those numbers. It's called the 93% Club, and it describes itself as a members’ club to rival some of the most exclusive and expensive clubs in the UK.
According to their website, they're taking a centuries-old system and repurposing it to change society and tackle social immobility head on.
And on Friday this week, it's hosting a big Northern conference in central Manchester. Over a hundred students are travelling to the city for a day of upskilling, networking and community building to show the wealth of opportunities available outside of London and the South East.
Imogen Carr, mentoring lead for the 93% club, explains how they want to create an alternative to the 'old boys network' and make it easier for talented young people in the North to break into these top professions.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Thousands of young people in England are being groomed, harmed, and even killed because the systems that are supposed to keep them safe are not fit for purpose.
That's the damning verdict of a new report by the Commission on Young Lives final report, ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’.
The report warns that social care, education, family support, and children’s mental health systems are failing thousands of vulnerable teenagers, costing taxpayers billions, diminishing life chances, and putting some teenagers at risk of grooming, exploitation, and serious violence.
The ‘Commission on Young Lives’ launched last year to fight back with coordinated national action to transform the outcomes of the most marginalised teenagers.
It's a major year-long independent commission chaired by Anne Longfield, the former Children’s Commissioner for England who grew up in West Yorkshire, who joins Rob Parsons on the podcast this week.
And Graeme Whitfield, editor of the Journal newspaper in Newcastle and North East editor of BusinessLive, discusses some of the big politics stories that matter to us in the North, including the uncertain future facing the plans for a massive 'gigafactory' for electric vehicle batteries in Northumberland.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
With all the attention on drama at the top of government and what it could mean for our economy, the parlous state of the NHS looks like it's barely registering on the news agenda.
Speaking in Parliament this week, new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised, among other things, a stronger NHS.
But Covid backlogs, record waiting periods in A&E, and unprecedented pressures on ambulance services are just some of the challenges facing the Government, amid fears health service leaders will be asked to make further savings to plug the gaping holes in the public finances.
Nowhere are the pressures on the NHS more acute than in Greater Manchester. Rob Parsons speaks to Helena Vesty, the Manchester Evening News' health correspondent, to bring us up to date on how things are in the North's hospitals at the moment.
And when most people think of the borough of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, they probably conjure up images like: the famous beach, fishing, penny arcades and maybe Whitby Abbey - the inspiration for Bram Stoker' Dracula.
But there's some very exciting work going on turn the area into one of the country's leading areas for cyber-security - which if successful could bring the high-skilled job and opportunity it need to thrive.
And it might do something to turn the tide in a borough where educational outcomes are among the worst in the country.
Liz Colling, who is Cabinet Member Inclusive Growth at Scarborough borough council, tells the podcast how she wants to turn the area into a "cyber cluster".
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
It's a truth universally acknowledged that Leeds is the biggest urban area in Western Europe without a rapid mass transit system - a metro to you and me - despite numerous attempts over the years to get one.
Political leaders in West Yorkshire hope this could finally be about to change and have submitted plans to government for a 21st century mass transit system connecting Leeds to Bradford, Halifax, Dewsbury and the rest of the county.
But there's a great blog post published in the last few days Tom Forth, head of data at Leeds-based Open Innovations, which spells out just how much Leeds is missing out by not having a metro system.
He joins Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons to discuss how Leeds lags behind Dublin and Lille with its lack of trams.
And there's been no shortage of column inches devoted to the subject of levelling up - remember that? - in the last three years: the policy implications, the political implications, the economic implications.
But how much time has been spent finding out how people who might be affected by Boris Johnson's flagship policy feel about their areas, what could and should be done to improve them, and who they trust to actually do it?
Probably not enough, and in an effort to fill that gap a new survey has been carried out described as the biggest of its kind covering the public’s levelling up priorities and how they would like them to be delivered.
It's been conducted by the UK in a Changing Europe research initiative and YouGov and the results are out today. Sophie Stowers, Research Assistant at UK in a Changing Europe, who helped write the report, and its director Professor Anand Menon explain what they found out in the report.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
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The phrase a 'life sentence' is a familiar one for anyone who follows reports of our most high-profile criminal cases, but how often does a life sentence actually mean life?
And in the case of offenders who carry out the most unimaginable act of violence, the murder of a child, should a life sentence actually mean life in prison with no prospect of release?
That's the argument being made by Dr Kieran Mullan, Tory MP for Crewe and Nantwich in Cheshire and a member of the Commons Justice Committee, said the Government “can and must do better” on sentencing for child murderers.
During a Westminster Hall debate this week he highlighted the fact that people given a life sentence for murder generally serve an average of just 16-and-a-half years. He joins Rob Parsons on the Northern Agenda podcast to discuss his contribution to the debate.
And how well-prepared is the North East for the coming economic storm? Rob asks one of its best-known business owners John Elliott, the Chairman of County-Durham based Ebac Limited, described as the only manufacturer in the UK of dehumidifiers and washing machines.
The business leader shares his often strongly-held views on the Government, Westminster, Brexit, and devolution in the UK.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
A supply of graduates in the so-called STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is vital for our economy - but how we can get young people, particularly girls, to engage with the subjects and fill the high-skilled jobs in emerging areas in the economy?
This question was on the agenda at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham this week. Joining Rob Parsons on The Northern Agenda podcast are two experts from different fields and with strong links to the North, who attempt to answer that question.
Carl Ennis, Chief Executive of Siemens plc, and Riffat Wall, the principal at Urmston Grammar in Manchester, discuss how we can get more young people in the North into science and technology jobs.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
With Labour well ahead in the polls and the party's policies being blamed for the UK's current economic turmoil, it promises to be a challenging party conference for the Conservatives in Birmingham this weekend.
And this week on The Northern Agenda podcast, Rob Parsons speaks to John Stevenson, the new chair of the Northern Research Group which represents the region's Conservative MPs.
The Carlisle MP tells us how he hopes the levelling up agenda can be reconciled with Liz Truss's enthusiasm for tax cuts, and what he needs to hear if his fellow 'red wall' Conservatives have any chance of getting re-elected in the next election.
Rob also speaks to Steve Rotheram, the Labour metro mayor of the Liverpool City Region, after a conference where Sir Keir Starmer promised a clean energy revolution. What will his plans mean for existing schemes on Merseyside?
And we get the thoughts of Jon Walker, deputy political editor at the Sunday Express, on how the two main parties are faring during conference season.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
The Labour Party Conference takes place in Liverpool from Sunday, but what can we expect from the "festival of politics"?
Kevin Maguire, political journalist and associate editor at the Daily Mirror, who estimates that he has "topped 100 political party and trade union conferences in his life", joins Rob Parsons on The Northern Agenda podcast.
He argues that Labour "needs to seize the moment" and Keir Starmer needs to "set out his stall" in Liverpool at the weekend and beyond. Maguire also responds to the use of 'God Save the King' at the party conference, and the Tories U-turn on fracking.
And Catherine McKinnell, the Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North, speaks to Rob about the East Coast Mainline - one of the country's most important strategic rail routes that connects the North East and Scotland with Yorkshire and London.
Critics say that it suffers from unreliability and delays that blights its performance and holds back economic growth in the areas that it serves. And one of those critics is McKinnell, who explains what is going wrong with the East Coast Mainline.
Clare Hayward - who chairs the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, and is on the board of the NP11 - also joins Rob on the podcast. She discusses how the North can help new prime minister Liz Truss, as well as what the region is asking from the government.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
After taking a short break following the Queen's death, The Northern Agenda is back to look at the issues impacting the North, discussing the stories that are outside of the Westminster bubble.
Liverpool Echo political editor Liam Thorp joins Rob Parsons on the podcast to discuss the "perilous" situation facing the city during the cost of living crisis - and how Liverpool has responded to the Queen's death.
Rob also speaks to Jonathan Brook, who is currently the leader of South Lakeland Council, about the radical restructure of local democracy in Cumbria. The Lib Dem councillor will, from next year, lead the new Westmorland and Furness authority.
And ahead of a one-day conference by the RSA think tank in Newcastle, exploring the future of the workplace, Rob is joined by Rachel Redshaw, People and Culture Director at Nexus - the operator of the Tyne and Wear metro and the region's passenger transport executive.
She argues that the way many organisations recruit their staff is fundamentally flawed - and needs to change for both the sake of the employers and employees.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In the last week of Boris Johnson's premiership, Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen joins Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons to discuss the outgoing prime minister's legacy.
The Tory metro mayor tells Rob about what voters in the North East think about Johnson, his impact on Tees Valley, and whether the levelling up agenda will survive under either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak's leadership.
And The Northern Agenda has unveiled its new star signing this week: award-winning cartoonist Graeme Bandeira. The Middlesbrough-born artist, who spent 23 years at the Yorkshire Post, discusses his career, and what it is like to satirise today's crop of politicians in cartoon form.
You can see Graeme's take on the news every Friday in the Northern Agenda newsletter, and his cartoons will feature in Reach's Sunday print titles in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
The Northern Agenda travels to Greater Manchester this week to discuss levelling up and the cost of living crisis with two influential figures in the region: Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, and his night time economy adviser Sacha Lord.
Andy Burnham reflects on Boris Johnson's time in office, saying that speaking to the outgoing prime minister and his team often felt like "shouting into the abyss". The Labour politician tells Ryan Wykes about "the Johnson gap": a gap between rhetoric and delivery.
And Sacha Lord gives a pretty dire diagnosis about the health of the hospitality sector to Dan O'Donohue, saying that many pubs, restaurants and bars would struggle "to make it through the winter".
Dan is also joined by the Liverpool Echo's political editor Liam Thorp to discuss the tragic shooting of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel - and how it has impacted communities in the city.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Following a heartbreaking investigation by the Manchester Evening News, which found that two-year-old Awaab Ishak died after his lungs were exposed to damp and mould in a social housing flat in Rochdale, The Northern Agenda looks at the North's housing shame.
Rob Parsons speaks to Stephen Topping, the journalist who worked on the investigation, about how the tragedy is just one example of the terrible conditions that families are living in on the Freehold estate in the Greater Manchester town.
And with around 1.2 million Northern private rented households being deemed as "non-decent" in a new report, Dan O'Donohue is joined by Brian Robson from the Northern Housing Consortium to discuss the actions that Boris Johnson's successor must take to address the issue.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Joining Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donohue on The Northern Agenda podcast are two of the leading figures in our region on the subject of crime and policing.
In a week where the police watchdog revealed that most victims of burglary, robbery and theft aren't getting the justice they deserve, Rob speaks to former Merseyside Police chief constable Andy Cooke.
Now Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, he explains how our police forces need to "go back to basics" to solve more crimes.
And Nazir Afzal, the former chief prosecutor for the North West, speaks to Dan O'Donohue about his new book 'The Race to the Top: Structural Racism and How to Fight It'.
The newly appointed Chancellor of Manchester University, who became the UK's first Muslim chief prosecutor in 2011, discusses structural racism, the fight against grooming, and the so-called 'war on woke'.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
We are into Week Two of the slow-burning Tory leadership race with Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss criss-crossing the country, trying to win over Conservative party members who will choose the next prime minister.
The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons is joined by Liam Thorp, political editor at the Liverpool Echo, to discuss whether the contest has reverberated to Liverpool – and the impact of the Arriva North West bus drivers strike on the city.
Rob also speaks to Sir Roger Marsh, the chair of NP11 - the "business-led voice for the North" that brings together 11 Local Enterprise Partnerships from the region. Sir Roger explains what LEPs want to hear from both candidates in the Tory leadership race.
And producer Daniel J. McLaughlin chats to author and academic Matt Cook about 'Queer Beyond London', a new book he has co-written with Alison Oram. He discusses how LGBTQ communities in the North can have a distinctive voice compared to their southern counterparts - and the importance of Manchester and Leeds in the country's queer history.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Rob Parsons is joined by Dan O'Donohue on The Northern Agenda to take stock on a week where Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are locked in battle to win over Tory members, who will decide which one of them will become our next prime minister.
Ahead of the first regional hustings in the Conservative leadership contest, held in Leeds this week, Rob and Dan discuss the big intervention by The Northern Agenda and 16 major Northern news titles, asking Sunak and Truss not to turn their back on the North - and to keep their focus on levelling up and regional inequalities.
Rob also speaks to Jake Berry, the chair of the influential Northern Research Group - made up of northern Tory backbenchers. The MP for Rossendale and Darwen tells the podcast what he wants to see from the two candidates running for prime minister.
And Manchester-born Lord Jim O'Neill, the former chief economist at Goldman Sachs, speaks to Rob about how his vision for a Northern Powerhouse - which he came up with during his time at the Treasury with George Osborne in 2014 - is holding up eight years on.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donohue are back for another episode of The Northern Agenda podcast, discussing the heatwave of July 2022, Boris Johnson's last ever PMQs, and the Tory leadership contest.
Dan chats to Nick Fletcher, the Conservative MP for Don Valley, about the fight to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport from closure. The Red Wall MP also tells the podcast why he is backing a Minister for the North, and his thoughts on the contest to become the next prime minister.
And Dr Dave Beck, a lecturer in social policy at the University of Salford, discusses the potential of Universal Basic Income being introduced to the UK. The food poverty expert explains why he thinks UBI would be good for the economy, wellbeing, and the environment - and how it could be implemented sooner than we think.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In a week where the North East was revealed as the country's child poverty hotspot, with one in two children growing up in poverty in some towns, what can we do to turn the situation around?
The Northern Agenda podcast speaks to former Labour MP Anna Turley, who now chairs the North East Child Poverty Commission.
She tells Dan O'Donohue about the grim situation facing the region - and what the government should do to tackle child poverty.
And while the recent political debate about rail in the North has centred around HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail, we look at another massive rail project in our region: the multi-billion-pound upgrade to the Transpennine railway.
Rob Parsons talks to Rob McIntosh, the managing director for Network Rail's eastern region, about the upgrade to the 76-mile rail project that stretches across the North between York and Manchester, via Leeds and Huddersfield.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
On The Northern Agenda podcast this week Rob Parsons speaks to Oliver Coppard, the recently-elected Labour mayor of South Yorkshire.
The mayor describes his first few weeks in the job where he's had to wrestle with the impact of devastating bus cuts which will see only four services running after 10pm across his whole patch from October.
And Rob also speaks to Tris Brown, one of two passionate Northerners behind the '100 ideas for the North' project.
When we talk about political ideas which might impact on our lives in the North, generally the conversation turns to big projects or concepts, like HS2 or Levelling Up.
But could it be that smaller ideas, if they're good enough and can be replicated across our region, could help change a local community or even be felt further afield?
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Labour frontbencher Louise Haigh joins Dan O'Donohue on this week's Northern Agenda podcast, discussing rail strikes, Labour's victory in the Wakefield by-election, and why she believes Boris Johnson's Red Wall is starting to crumble.
The shadow transport secretary tells the podcast that voters in Wakefield saw Johnson as "a prime minister they no longer trusted" and the Tories as "a party they have lost complete faith in".
And Sir Robert Goodwill, the Tory MP for Scarborough and Whitby, discusses the deaths of thousands of crabs and lobsters which have washed up along the North East and North Yorkshire coastline.
The chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee explains the environmental and financial impact of these deaths on the region, as well as issues facing the fishing community more generally.
He also discusses the levelling up agenda, devolution in Yorkshire, and his thoughts on Boris Johnson's position after recent developments.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Let's talk about the way we talk. On this week's podcast, The Northern Agenda speaks to Dr Robert M. McKenzie about new analysis on the way we respond to accents.
The associate professor in sociolinguistics, along with a team of academics at Northumbria University, found that there is prejudice against the northern accent - with many believing it is a sign of being less intelligent, educated, and ambitious.
He speaks to Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons about their research in the British Academy-funded Speaking of Prejudice project.
They are joined by podcast producer and poet Daniel J. McLaughlin, who discusses how his Lancastrian accent impacts his professional life and performances.
And Conservative MP James Grundy chats to Rob about why he believes Leigh should split from the Wigan borough. He argues that people from Leigh are often treated as 'second class citizens' by their neighbours in Greater Manchester.
The Leigh MP also discusses levelling up, local devolution, and why he is pleased that the government has scrapped HS2’s £3 billion Golborne Link.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Four of the leading Wakefield by-election candidates locked horns in a special Northern Agenda and YorkshireLive hustings on Tuesday night.
Ahead of the election on June 24, the candidates running to be Wakefield's next MP debated on issues such as transport in the North, jobs and skills, the cost of living crisis and ethics in politics.
Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue chaired the hustings, and he was joined by:
🗳️ Nadeem Ahmed (Tories)
🗳️ Simon Lightwood (Labour)
🗳️ David Herdson (The Yorkshire Party)
🗳️ Chris Walsh (Reform UK)
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In a week where 148 Tory MPs voted that they had no confidence in Boris Johnson, the Northern Agenda podcast speaks to two northern Conservatives who came to parliament in 2019 - and backed the prime minister in the confidence vote.
As the Levelling Up bill returns to the Commons, Jacob Young - the MP for Redcar - tells Dan O'Donohue how he believes the government's flagship policy remains the priority for the Tories. He also explains why he stood by Boris Johnson in the confidence vote this week.
And James Daly, the MP for Bury North, speaks to Rob Parsons about the importance of sport for the North's towns, cities, and communities.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In this episode of The Northern Agenda podcast, Dan O'Donohue is joined by a panel of experts to ask how the Conservatives are performing in the North - and why they perform poorly in northern cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle.
Dan is joined by:
- James Pearson, chairman of the Manchester Conservatives
- Jon Tonge, professor of politics at the University of Liverpool
- Liam Thorp, political editor of the Liverpool Echo
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
This week's two guests on the Northern Agenda podcast are politicians on either side of the party divide, but each represent northern towns looking for answers about how best to move forward from their industrial pasts.
Lisa Nandy and Miriam Cates are both speaking at the Restitch Social Fabric Summit this week - a conference organised by think tank Onward about how to create more connected and rooted societies.
Miriam Cates, the Tory MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, tells Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons about how a manufacturing revival is needed if the steel town that dominates her constituency is to thrive.
And Lisa Nandy, Labour's shadow levelling up secretary, shares her party's vision for levelling up - and how she has told Michael Gove "not to get too comfortable in that new office in Wolverhampton" because she is sizing it up already.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
As local authorities submit their bids for their share of the next round of the Levelling Up fund, Bradford council has published a compelling report which argues that the region should be a test case for the project.
Bradford City Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe discusses the 16-page document with Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue.
And new IPPR North director Zoe Billingham chats to Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons about her arrival at the think tank - and how the government can really make the levelling up agenda benefit our region.
Rob is also joined by Inayat Omarji MBE, a local leader in Bolton who has dedicated 5,000 hours to turning his local abandoned church into a beautiful hub for community life.
He discusses the new campaign for a Community Powers Act that will help local people with "their fingers on the pulse" be empowered when it comes to community decision making.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
We have all heard of the North-South divide, but author Sam Bright believes that the gap is far bigger and covers a wider area.
The journalist and author of 'Fortress London' joins Rob Parsons on The Northern Agenda to discuss the "burning injustices" between the capital and the rest of England.
He explains why he thinks Parliament should be relocated to Leeds, and how the government has "deployed lots of fancy words in typical Boris Johnson fashion" on levelling up but why it falls substantially short in substance.
And West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin reflects on his first year in the role.
The former Batley and Spen MP chats to Rob about her recent announcement on bus fares, her relationship with levelling up secretary Michael Gove, and how the prosperity of Leeds impacts the rest of the region.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In a special edition of The Northern Agenda podcast we dissect all the results across the North in the 2022 local elections.
Westminster Editor Dan O'Donoghue is joined by Liverpool Echo Political Editor Liam Thorp, Newcastle Journal Editor Graeme Whitfield and Rosie Lockwood to pick over what today's results - from Cumberland to Stockport and Hull - mean for our region.
Elsewhere, Dan speaks to York Central MP Racheal Maskell about the future of the North's railways and why she believes the Government's £96bn Integrated Rail Plan has left people frustrated.
And Northern Agenda Editor Rob Parsons speaks to Naomi Timperley, co-founder of the Manchester Tech Festival, about getting more people into digital jobs and how Northern cities are starting to become tech hotspots.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue. This week's episode is produced by Carly Holds.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Do you know where your local war memorial is? If you do, the Imperial War Museums want to find out, too!
A campaign has been launched to document every war memorial across the nation ahead of Remembrance Day this year.
The drive has the backing of Southport MP Damien Moore, who tells The Northern Agenda's Rob Parsons why it is important to remember both the fallen and the commemorations in their names.
The Conservative MP also answers questions on levelling up, Partygate, and the local elections.
Professor Helen Marshall also appears on this week's podcast, speaking to Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue about a new report that found higher technical education across the UK is in rapid decline.
The vice-chancellor of the University of Salford explains why higher technical education is important for industries across the North - with many workplaces desperately looking for those trained with practical skills.
She also addresses education minister Michelle Donelan's plan to introduce fines for 'cancel culture' on university campuses, arguing that the government "needs to be a bit more realistic".
And local democracy reporter Nick Statham chats to Rob about the battle for overall control of Stockport council in May's local elections, saying that the Tories could be "the kingmakers" of the Labour or Liberal Democrat administration.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Ahead of the TUC's Annual Regional Conference in Hull, Frances O'Grady joins Rob Parsons on The Northern Agenda podcast to discuss the state of trade unionism - and her response to the mass sacking from P&O Ferries.
Hull is one of the major employment centres for P&O, which replaced nearly 800 seafarers with cheaper agency staff just a month ago.
Frances, who will be stepping down as the TUC's general secretary at the end of the year, calls on the government to "get tough on some of these corporate gangsters".
And Rob also speaks to local democracy reporter Stuart Minting, who offers his perspective on the local elections and the creation of a completely new authority in North Yorkshire.
Stuart discusses the fears of residents in England's largest county about the transformation, explaining that the "most radical shake-up to North Yorkshire politics in decades" could leave communities a long way from where the decisions are being made.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
This week Rob Parsons speaks to the author of a new book setting out how the dramatic history of the North has shaped the region as it is today.
Brian Groom, who wrote 'Northerners: A History, From the Ice Age to the Present Day', tells us about how the North-South divide goes back further than we might think and identifies three lesser-known Northern historical figures we all ought to be familiar with.
Rob also speaks to George Morgan, Local Democracy Reporter for Wirral council on Merseyside, about what we can expect in his patch ahead of the local elections. Will the Greens make inroads into Labour territory on this hung council?
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. This week's episode was edited by Carly Holds.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
On this week's episode, Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell calls for more action on the cost of living crisis. The Labour MP tells Dan O'Donoghue that for many of her constituents 'there's really no light at the end of the tunnel', as she urged Chancellor Rishi Sunak to reverse his decision to scrap the £20 a week Universal Credit uplift.
Meanwhile new polling from the Country Land & Business Association has revealed a major shift in the political allegiances of rural voters in the North. Dan speaks to CLA President Mark Tufnell about what the big parties need to do to win over the countryside.
And as we continue our look ahead to the May 5 local elections, Rob Parsons speaks to South Yorkshire Local Democracy Reporter George Torr about the race to succeed Dan Jarvis as the region's metro mayor.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
With voters returning to the ballot box on May 5, the local elections could result in some changes to the political landscape in England.
One of the guaranteed changes is in South Yorkshire, where the metro mayor Dan Jarvis is stepping down after four years. The Barnsley Central MP, who will be remaining in Westminster, discusses why he is leaving the role.
The Labour politician reflects on his tenure with The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons, discussing his successes and frustrations - including his thoughts on working with Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, and Michael Gove.
And Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue is joined by polling guru Sir John Curtice to discuss how the major parties might perform on May 5.
The professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, and regular fixture in TV studios during election night broadcasts, explains how Boris Johnson could find himself performing worse than Theresa May at the local elections.
He also discusses whether the collapse of the Red Wall in the 2019 general election and Brexit could affect how voters cast their ballot.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Though the levelling up agenda is supposedly at the top of the government's agenda, the phrase did not receive a single mention in Rishi Sunak's Spring Statement this week.
Some Northern leaders have called the Chancellor's mini-budget a "missed opportunity", and on The Northern Agenda podcast, we digest what it means - and what it misses - for the North.
Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue is joined by Dr Arianna Giovannini, the IPPR North's interim director, to respond to Sunak's 3,500-word Spring Statement.
She argues that though the Chancellor had "fairer and more progressive levers at his disposal", but he made the political decision not to pull them in his mini-Budget.
And this week, the shortlist for the 2025 UK City of Culture was announced with Northern bids from Bradford and County Durham making the final four.
Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons speaks to Alison Clark, the lead for Durham 2025, who argues that their bid has turned the North East entry from a sleeping to waking giant.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In our first conference, held in Newcastle last week, The Northern Agenda asked the question: what will the North look like in 2030?
Speakers and panellists - from MPs to mayors, ministers to educators - offered their perspective on this topic, pondering what the government's Levelling Up agenda could do for health, education, jobs, poverty, and more.
This week's episode of The Northern Agenda podcast, hosted by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donohue, features behind-the scenes interviews from some of the conference's guests, including:
⬆️A message from Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham
⬆️How Northumbria police and crime commissioner Kim McGuinness wants to tackle poverty through the police force
⬆️North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll on his idea for a 'coup d'North'
⬆️Levelling up minister Neil O'Brien on the department's relationship with the Treasury
⬆️The Northern Powerhouse Partnership's Henri Murison gives his reaction to the speeches from the conference
⬆️And shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy on the most powerful word in politics that needs to be heard in the North
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
There’s widespread agreement that tackling regional inequality is one of the big political issues of our time, but how best to go about it?
How much progress can the North make by 2030, the date set by Michael Gove to judge the success of the Levelling Up agenda? And what role should the government and private enterprise play and should we focus on short-term gains or tackling longer, structural problems?
These are the questions The Northern Agenda sought to answer at our first ever conference, bringing together some of the region's key decision-makers and experts.
The Northern Agenda's Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donohue look back at some of the highlights from the conference in Newcastle, including keynote speeches from Levelling Up minister Neil O'Brien and shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy, as well as panels on health, education, and poverty.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Leaders across the North of England have issued the united message of support for Ukraine, and offered a welcoming hand to those displaced by the invasion from Russian forces.
In Rochdale, the Greater Manchester town twinned with Lviv, members of the Ukrainian community joined councillors in the town centre for a show of solidarity.
One of those people who attended the vigil was Neil Emmott, the Rochdale council leader. He tells the Northern Agenda's Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue why the town is "standing shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine, and whether Rochdale would welcome those who have escaped from the war.
And Kristian Johnson, investigative reporter at Yorkshire Live, speaks to York Central MP Rachael Maskell about the dentistry crisis hitting the North.
The Labour politician explains how some of her constituents are using their life savings, travelling abroad, or even pulling out their own teeth, because it is "virtually impossible" to see an NHS dentist, due to years-long waiting lists and medical professionals leaving the health service.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Image: Rochdale Borough Council
When people think of Northern transport as a political issue, generally their minds turn to trains - and there's certainly no shortage of issues to discuss there.
But in this special episode of The Northern Agenda podcast, we're going to talk about buses, the form of transport used much more frequently in the North every day than trains and for many people representing a lifeline getting them to work, school or vital social contact.
Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons speaks to a passenger and wheelchair user who relies on buses to help her get her son to school, a senior bus industry leader who fears passenger numbers may never return to what they were pre-pandemic, and a senior Labour politician who warns that if action isn't taken all we can hope for is managed decline on our vital transport networks.
The podcast will also reveal the results of an exclusive survey of bus passengers in the North by the Northern Agenda.
Guests include:
🚍Louise Haigh, shadow transport secretary and Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley
🚍John Dowie, director of partnerships at the First Bus group
🚍George Torr, local democracy reporter based in Sheffield
🚍Snoof Kattekop, an artist and educator based in Liverpool
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd
There is a North-South divide - like many things - in research and development.
In 2019, northern universities attracted only 1.8 per cent of early stage venture funding, compared to 90 per cent that went to Oxford, Cambridge and London.
Duncan Johnson, chief executive at Northern Gritstone, discusses how there is "a level playing field of science and a totally and utterly uneven level playing field of funding".
He tells Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons how Northern Gritstone, a groundbreaking new investment company, will bridge the innovation gap, funding research in the applied and life sciences.
And Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue chats to Jonathan Webb about the IPPR North's latest report, which looks at how residents in Liverpool and Anglesey want their communities reshaped in the future.
The paper's co-author explains how the think tank wanted to "cut through the noise" when it comes to the net zero transition, and what it actually means for communities.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
The Convention in the North took place this week with levelling up secretary Michael Gove travelling to Liverpool to discuss the government's vision for the region.
His counterpart, Lisa Nandy MP, appears on The Northern Agenda podcast, sharing her thoughts about Gove and the recent Levelling Up white paper.
The shadow levelling up secretary also tells Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue why she believes Labour will bring red wall voters "back home" in the next election.
And Rob Parsons focuses on the politics of another part of the North this week, speaking to local democracy reporter Gareth Cavanagh about the five things you need to know about Cumbria.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In this week's podcast, former West Durham MP Laura Pidcock joins The Northern Agenda's Dan O'Donohue to discuss why she has quit Labour's governing body, the National Executive Committee.
The ex-Labour MP also gives her thoughts on Keir Starmer's leadership, and why she is still fighting to get the Tories out of government.
And Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons also speaks to Richard Jeffery, a senior business figure in Greater Manchester, about how firms in the North are coping with the challenges and opportunities of the pandemic, net zero, and the digital transformation.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
The Levelling Up White Paper - all 332 pages of it - was published today after a long wait for Boris Johnson to finally spell out the details of the mantra that's been in use since before the 2019 General Election.
Recorded live an hour after its publication, Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons is joined by a stellar panel of experts to discuss what it means for the North.
Rob gets the reaction from Jen Williams, political and investigations editor at the Manchester Evening News, the University of Manchester's Professor Andrew Westwood, and Dr Nicola Headlam, chief economist at Red Flag Alert and the former head of Northern Powerhouse for the Government's Cities and Local Growth Unit.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In a week where Northern Tory MPs are pondering how much they can stand behind Boris Johnson, The Northern Agenda podcast speaks to one of the prime minister's biggest allies in the region: Jake Berry.
The Rossendale and Darwen MP tells Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue why he is still backing Johnson, and gives his thoughts on what levelling up actually means.
The Tory politician also discusses whether an elected metro mayor is the answer for the county of Lancashire.
Local democracy reporter David Spereall speaks to Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons about the issues of the cost of school uniforms in Wakefield, with parents turning to uniform exchanges in the Yorkshire city.
Ahead of the Convention of the North, Rob also chats to Liverpool Echo political editor Liam Thorp about the big decisions facing decision makers in the city.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
It's safe to say that it has not been a good week for Boris Johnson with the prime minister facing growing dissent from his own party.
A chaotic Prime Minister's Questions saw Bury South MP Christian Wakeford cross the floor and join the Labour benches.
Westminster editor Dan O'Donohue gets the reaction from his former Conservative colleague, Scott Benton. The Blackpool South MP slams Wakeford's "ridiculous" decision, as well as sharing his thoughts on Johnson's leadership and the levelling up agenda.
Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons speaks to Professor Katy Show following the release of a report that calls for Northern culture to be included in the government's levelling up agenda.
And in our weekly segment, examining the politics of different towns and cities in the North, we turn to Sheffield where local democracy reporter Lucy Ashton discusses a massive data breach, a change in the way the council is run, and the battle of the budget supermarkets.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In a special episode, The Northern Agenda podcast takes a closer look at an issue that has reached boiling point in several cities across the North of England: the introduction of Clean Air Zones.
It is the controversial scheme where owners of the most polluting vehicles are forced to pay as much as £60 per day to enter certain roads and areas.
Political editor Jennifer Williams and local democracy reporter Dan Holland tells Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons about the reaction to Clean Air Zones from their patches: Greater Manchester and Newcastle.
Rob is also joined by Paula Widdowson, the executive member for environment and climate change at the City of York council, who believes that her city's "voluntary" clean air zone has been successful - and whether it could be replicated across the country.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
As the Omicron variant surges across the North West, The Northern Agenda podcast gives an update on how it is impacting the NHS across the region.
Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons discusses the Covid situation with Helena Vesty, the NHS, social care and patients writer at the Manchester Evening News.
They explain the pressures on health staff, the impact on social care, and what it means when a NHS trust declares a critical incident.
Tim Farron also joins Rob on the podcast, talking about the issue of second homes and holiday lets in his Cumbrian constituency, Westmorland and Lonsdale.
The Lib Dem MP expresses his concerns about a 'Lakeland clearance' that is seeing residents being forced out of the area, as landlords attempt to profit from the tourist pound.
The former Lib Dem leader also speaks to Rob about how farmers are turning against the Tories, and his party's performance after the North Shropshire by-election victory.
And in our weekly segment, the podcast takes a look at the politics of another region in the North.
This time, local democracy reporter Joe Cooper tells the Northern Agenda five things you need to know about York - including its fraught council, who have recently been told to "grow up".
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Christmas is nearly here so why not grab a celebratory mince pie and test your knowledge of the year in Northern politics? Quizmaster Dan O'Donoghue puts Northern Agenda Editor Rob Parsons, Victoria Prest of Yorkshire Live and producer Dan McLaughlin through their paces about the big political events of the year.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
This week's Northern Agenda podcast heads to the North East, where Rob Parsons looks at the politics of Sedgefield and Middlesbrough.
He speaks to Sedgefield MP Paul Howell about the government's levelling up agenda, and the troubles engulfing Boris Johnson in Downing Street.
The Tory politician also discusses why he's campaigning for the hundreds of millions of pounds that's lying dormant in British bank accounts to be spent on left behind towns.
Local democracy reporter Emily Craigie tells Rob about the five things you need to know about politics in Middlesbrough - including the fierce political rivalries, the revolving door at the chief constable's office, and the deprivation faced in the Teesside town.
The Northern Agenda editor also looks at the latest findings on what Greater Manchester residents think about levelling up - the big issue that will likely dominate the next election. He discusses the outcome of the poll with Tom Banks, director of Public First North.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here:
http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Children in the North face worse health and educational outcomes following the Covid-19 pandemic than children elsewhere in the country.
A major new report from the N8 Research Partnership - called Child of the North - outlines how rising equality in the region costs the economy billions of pounds in lost potential.
One of the academics involved in the report, Dr Luke Munford from the University of Manchester, discusses its findings with Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons.
Rob also speaks to Alex Cunningham, who recently announced that he is stepping down as MP for Stockton North at the next election. The Labour politician argues that he is optimistic that his party can win back support in Northern heartlands, like his constituency in Teeside.
He also discusses the fallout from the No 10 Christmas party allegations, the state of the courts after the pandemic, and the housing conditions for asylum seekers in his constituency and the country.
And local democracy reporter Danielle Andrews explains five things you need to know about politics in Rotherham, the borough where child grooming has reared its head again seven years after a bombshell report exposed the problem.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
It is a picturesque village in North Yorkshire, but Linton-on-Ouse is turning into a ghost town.
More than 150 homes are already empty after the RAF moved operations away from the village in 2019 - and 100 more will soon become vacant.
Despite its important history, especially during World War II, is there a future for Linton-on-Ouse? The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons speaks to Yorkshire Live's Kristian Johnson about the current situation in the 'ghost town' - and what needs to be done to protect it.
Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake also offers his view to Westminster editor Dan O'Donoghue, and discusses his work to save the once thriving community in North Yorkshire.
The Tory politician also discusses why he rebelled against the government on the social care levy, his levelling up wish list for the North, and his campaign to stop economic crime.
And Rob chats to Edna Robinson, the chair of The People's Powerhouse, about the organisation's annual convention - and what needs to be done to support the North.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons and Daniel O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Following a Westminster Hall debate marking Islamophobia Awareness Month, Manchester Gorton MP Afzal Khan chats to The Northern Agenda podcast about what needs to be done to tackle discrimination against the Muslim community.
The Labour politician talks to Westminster editor Dan O'Donoghue about the abuse and others have faced, the issue of Islamophobia in the Tory party, and what needs to be done to fight hatred against Muslims.
The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons also discusses the pressures facing the NHS during the winter months with the Manchester Evening News' Helena Vesty.
The health correspondent, who covers the NHS, social care and patients for the MEN, explains how Covid is still impacting the health service in Greater Manchester and the demands for social care in the area.
And in our weekly segment, covering all areas of the North, Rob speaks to Robbie MacDonald about five things you need to know about Lancashire. The local democracy reporter explores the politics of the district councils, and whether they can agree on a county wide deal from the government.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
On this week's episode of The Northern Agenda podcast, Rob Parsons is joined by Jen Williams, Political Editor of the Manchester Evening News, to reflect on the winners and losers from Boris Johnson's long-awaited rail vision.
We also hear from James Harrison, Local Democracy Reporter for Northumberland, about the political issues that matter in the the county described as "a land of big adventures, breathtaking beauty and unlimited possibilities".
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
In a special edition of The Northern Agenda podcast, Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue look at how the big newspapers of the North are demanding for the government to keep its rail promises.
Rob chats to the Manchester Evening News political editor Jennifer Williams about the big rail campaign from Reach's northern titles - and the "not very encouraging" rumours about the government's Integrated Rail Plan.
Dan speaks to Shipley MP Philip Davies about why he thinks HS2 should be "sacrificed" in order to make sure rail projects, like Northern Powerhouse Rail, are kept alive to fix the North's poor transport infrastructure. The Tory politician also gives his view on whether MPs should be able to take on second jobs.
Rob also talks to Susan Hinchcliffe, the leader of Bradford Council, about why she wants the Yorkshire city to become "the heart of the North" by being connected through HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail, and other transport investments.
And local democracy reporter Joseph Timan discusses five things we should know about the politics in Salford, including its leftwing leadership, its social housing campaign, and the differences between its booming investment and stark levels of deprivation.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
This week's podcast from The North Agenda looks at why poor public transport is costing the North - and what investment is needed from the government.
Andrew Carter, chief executive of the Centre for Cities, discusses a report published by the think tank about the North's public transport with Westminster editor Dan O'Donoghue. He examines why poor transport links are costing the region's largest cities more than £16 billion a year.
The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons chats to Jamie Driscoll, metro mayor of the North of Tyne. The Labour politician explains why he is asking the government for £500 million to fund jobs in the area.
And Rob also speaks to the Hull Daily Mail's local government reporter Angus Young about the politics of Hull, including devolution, party loyalties, transport, and investment into the area.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Following Rishi Sunak's Autumn Statement, The Northern Agenda podcast discusses what the Budget means for the North.
Westminster editor Dan O'Donoghue is joined by Jennifer Williams, political editor of the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo political editor Liam Thorp, and Graeme Whitfield, North East editor of Business Live, to dissect how it impacts their regions - in particular, public transport.
Dan also chats to Bridget Phillipson, Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, about her party's reaction to the statement. The Houghton and Sunderland South MP also discusses what a Labour government would have done in the Chancellor's position.
And The Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons speaks to Charlotte Green, the local democracy reporter at the Manchester Evening News for Oldham. She tells Rob about the five things you need to know about Oldham politics, including its party allegiances, its leadership, and misinformation from conspiracy theories.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Whilst global leaders head to Glasgow for the COP26 Summit, The Northern Agenda podcast asks what the North is doing to help the UK reach net zero emissions.
And Rob Parsons breaks down the results from The Northern Agenda's Levelling Up survey with Westminster editor Dan O'Donoghue and Press Association political correspondent Geri Scott.
They discuss whether those surveyed trust the government with the agenda, what it actually means, and which political party is trusted the most to tackle regional inequality.
Rob also speaks to Dr Annette Bramley, director of the N8 Research Partnership, a collaboration of the most research-intensive universities in the North of England, about what the government needs to invest into the North to help the country tackle climate change challenges.
Redcar MP Jacob Young chats to Dan about how Teeside could experience a 'jobs bonanza' and transform as part of the green industrial revolution. The Tory MP describes how the area has become one of the UK's main hubs for clean energy.
And Rob also speaks to Sheffield Hallam MP Olivia Blake about why the decisions on how we cut emissions shouldn't be just left to policymakers. The Labour MP has worked with her constituents to come up with their own vision to tackle climate change, which she will be bringing to 10 Downing Street.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
The Northern Agenda - the political podcast that offers a perspective outside the Westminster bubble - asks why there is a North-South divide when it comes to life expectancy.
Host Rob Parsons speaks to Dr Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard about a new report from Imperial College London on life expectancy inequalities in England. He also chats to Yorkshire Live reporter Kristian Johnson about the findings.
Liverpool metro mayor Steve Rotheram joins Rob and Liverpool Echo political editor Liam Thorp for a discussion about working with new 'levelling up' minister Michael Gove.
The Labour mayor also discusses his relationship with other metro mayors, responds to previous attacks from Ben Houchen, and reacts to Keir Starmer's op-ed in The Sun newspaper.
And Sheffield's youngest - and only Tory - councillor Lewis Chinchen chats to Rob about how the Yorkshire city has responded to his victory in the May elections - and whether more Conservative councillors will soon join him.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
After decades of austerity cuts, an ever-increasing pressure to provide for the needs of an ageing population, and 18 months of reduced income and increased costs due to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Northern Agenda examines the plight of the North's hard-pressed town halls.
And with party conference season wrapping up, the podcast also looks at the takeaways from the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester this week.
Host Rob Parsons is joined by Financial Times Whitehall editor Seb Payne and Rachel Wearmouth, senior political correspondent at the Daily Mirror, as they reflect on Boris Johnson's speech at the Tory gathering, and whether the government will deliver on their levelling up agenda.
Local Democracy Reporter Richard Beecham also chats to Rob about the impact cuts to local services have had in Yorkshire's biggest city: Leeds.
And while Lancashire County Council deputy leader Alan Vincent tells Rob that he does not believe the cuts have been felt by 'the man on the street', Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes chats to Westminster correspondent Dan O'Donoghue about the visible and invisible impact they have made to the city.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
The Northern Agenda returns with a look ahead to the Conservative Party Conference this weekend.
Host Rob Parsons is joined by The Northern Agenda's Westminster editor Dan O'Donoghue and Kate Proctor, the political editor of PoliticsHome and The House Magazine, as they discuss the reaction to Keir Starmer's speech at the Labour Party conference in Brighton - as well as what to expect from the Tory gathering in Manchester.
Tees Valley metro mayor Ben Houchen delivers a frank assessment of his Labour counterparts, calling out their "chest-beating" and political "posturing".
He also talks to Rob about the Tory government's levelling up agenda and whether Teeside can remain blue.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
The Northern Agenda, our new weekly political podcast, launches this week with a preview of the Labour Party Conference in Brighton.
If you want to know what's going on in Northern politics, from a Northern perspective and outside of the Westminster bubble, you're in the right place.
Host Rob Parsons chats to Manchester Evening political editor Jennifer Williams about what to expect from the political gathering in Brighton this weekend. She also discusses Andy Burnham and the role that metro mayors play in the North.
The Northern Agenda's Westminster correspondent Dan O'Donoghue speaks to former shadow chancellor John McDonnell about his strong reaction to Keir Starmer's proposed rule changes to the Labour leadership voting process.
Dan also talks to Liverpool MP Ian Byrne about the powerful speech he gave in the Commons about the Hillsborough disaster and protecting victims of public disasters.
The Northern Agenda podcast is presented by Rob Parsons and Dan O'Donoghue, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. It is a Laudable production for Reach.
Don't forget to subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Jen Williams goes for a bus ride with Wigan MP Lisa Nandy as she tries to get to grips with what happened at the General Election.
It is the morning after the night before, as Jen Williams attempts to make sense of the general election result.
It's been a success for the Tories and devastating for Labour, as northern heartlands swapped hands.
The Manchester Evening News' political editor is joined by reporters Niall Griffiths and Tom George, as well as Westminster correspondent for the Yorkshire Post, Geri Scott, and Professor Andrew Russell from the University of Liverpool.
With just a day to go until Britain goes to the polls, Jen Williams, the M.E.N's political editor, is joined by Joe Timan, local democracy reporter at the Bolton News, and Liam Thorp, political editor at the Liverpool Echo.
They discuss the highlights - and the lowlights - of the election campaign. Jen and Joe chat about their visit on Labour's battle-bus.
And the Yorkshire Post's Geri Scott talks about the fallout over a shocking photograph at Leeds General Infirmary.
In the penultimate episode of The North Poll, our guests have been out on the streets, talking to voters. With one week to go until the general election, the M.E.N's political editor Jennifer Williams is joined by Niall Griffiths, local democracy reporter at the Manchester Evening News, Dominic Moffitt, reporter at Lancs Live, and Geraldine Scott, Westminster correspondent at the Yorkshire Post.
Manifestos, devolution, and northern infrastructure are on the agenda as Jennifer Williams, political editor at the Manchester Evening News, is joined by Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester, Arianna Giovannini, interim director at the IPPR North thinktank, and Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.
The M.E.N's political editor Jennifer Williams is joined by Centre for Towns co-founder Ian Warren, Newcastle Chronicle and Journal's political editor Jonathan Walker, and Sheffield Star editor Nancy, who discuss the Red Wall, TV debates, and whether the election is just all about Brexit.
Liverpool Echo political editor Liam Thorp hosts a line up including the MEN's politics and investigations editor Jen Williams, Business Live Editor Alistair Houghton and Lancashire democracy reporter Paul Faulkner who discuss Brexit Party pacts, flooding, HS2 and whether there will be a Remain alliance.
In the first episode of the North Poll, the M.E.N's political editor Jennifer Williams is joined by Liverpool University's Professor Andrew Russell, the Yorkshire Post's Westminster correspondent Geraldine Scott and the Liverpool Echo's political editor Liam Thorpe to discuss how and why the north will be front and centre of this winter election campaign.