The Northern Agenda
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The Northern Agenda is a weekly podcast covering politics and public affairs from across the North of England, voiced by journalists who are outside the Westminster bubble, reporting from the other side of the North/South divide.
From Blackpool to Barnsley and Bamburgh and everywhere in between, exploring subjects such as levelling up to buses, elections to the latest council scraps, The Northern Agenda brings you discussion and analysis of the North's big political stories, from people experiencing them on the ground.
Rob Parsons speaks to politicians, activists, campaigners, experts, community figures, journalists, business leaders, pollsters and more about the political stories that really matter to the North - and from the North - that you won't hear about from the national media in London.
The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and it is produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.
You can subscribe to the daily Northern Agenda newsletter here: http://www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk/
Available episodes
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May 25, 2023
🚕 Why are hard-up councils spending £5m a week sending children to school in taxis? ⬆️ Matt Vickers MP on the unexpected resurgence of the Tories in his borough, record high migration levels, and the big Teesworks row
Did you know that across the North, hard-up councils are spending a staggering £5m a week sending children to school in taxis?
The Northern Agenda has been crunching the numbers and it turns out that across the region nearly 33,000 pupils have taxis to school paid for by their local authorities, who have a legal duty to help children who cannot walk or use public transport to get there.
Why is the total so high and why are some councils paying so much more than others? Northern Agenda Editor Rob Parsons talks about the story with Una Summerson, head of policy and public affairs at Contact, a national charity for families with disabled children.
And with the political machinations in Tory mayor Ben Houchen's Teesside patch now involving key Ministers like Michael Gove and even Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Rob's been speaking to one of the region's Conservative MPs to find out what he makes of it.
Matt Vickers is MP for Stockton South tells us about the unexpected resurgence of the Conservatives in his borough, what the Government's doing to bring down record high migration levels and of course that big Teesworks row that's been making all the headlines.
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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
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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/
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May 18, 2023
🧠 The Northern brain drain: Why are so many young people in our region planning to move elsewhere for a better life?
It's a question everyone in the North should care about: Why are so many young people in our region planning to move elsewhere for a better life?
On the week of a new report being published about the 'Northern brain drain', Rob Parsons speaks to young people and political leaders about what we need to offer to stop them leaving.
And it's been a busy week for our two best-known metro mayors, Tees Valley's Ben Houchen and Greater Manchester's Andy Burnham, who've been hitting the headlines for very different reasons.
Rob discussed their fortunes with Henri Murison of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and asks whether Alastair Campbell was right to say there's no such thing as the North-South divide.
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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
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May 12, 2023
🌹 Alastair Campbell on the success of levelling up, what Tony Blair did for the North and how the 'red wall' deserted Labour 🥳 The Eurovision party arrives in Liverpool
As Tony Blair's official spokesman and director of communications Alastair Campbell was in the room where it happened for some of the biggest decisions of the last Labour government.
Now a journalist, author, strategist, broadcaster and activist, he's behind one of the country's leading politics podcasts and has just released a new book about how normal people can get involved in politics.
But this week he's on The Northern Agenda podcast talking to Rob Parsons about his childhood in Keighley, West Yorkshire, the success of levelling up, what Tony Blair did for the North and how the 'red wall' deserted Labour. Oh and the success of his beloved Burnley FC.
And Rob chats with the Liverpool Echo's Liam Thorp about the big stories of the week. As Eurovision fever takes over Liverpool, do the local election results mean Rishi Sunak has met his Waterloo? And will nationalising TransPennine Express make rail services in the North Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit better (sorry)?
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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/
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May 5, 2023
🗳️ Who's up and who's down in the local elections? 💰 Hostile takeover drama at dawn of new era in Britain
It's local elections day which means plenty of town hall drama to digest - including a new mayor in Middlesbrough and closely-fought contests across the North.
But what does it all mean for the balance of power in our region - and were people even able to vote at all due to the new ID rules brought in by the Government.
Northern Agenda Editor Rob Parsons digests what we know so far with Zoe Billingham, director of the IPPR North think-tank.
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And Rob interviews journalist and author Bernard Ginns about his new book detailing one of the most vicious corporate battles in recent years involving a maverick Northern industrialist, Andrew Cook, as he tried to find off the powerful financial institutions that wanted to take over his company.
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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
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Apr 27, 2023
🥳 The Northern Agenda turns two! Is the North still a priority for the government? 💉 How Liverpool is playing a part in developing vaccines
The bunting is out, the candles on the cake are lit, and the party poppers are at the ready: the Northern Agenda is celebrating its second birthday!
And of course the best person to celebrate the occasion with is the person who was there from the beginning - and still keeps the newsletter and podcast strong - two years later: Northern Agenda editor Rob Parsons.
Rob speaks to producer Dan McLaughlin about the past two years in Northern politics - and whether levelling up is still a priority for Rishi Sunak and the government.
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And it wasn't that long ago that the big story on all of our minds was vaccines: who's making them, who's getting them, do they work and how often we need them?
But despite the worst of the pandemic now being thankfully in the rear view mirror, in large part thanks to the incredible roll-out of coronavirus vaccines across the country, the need to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases.
And in fact a major issue concerning health professionals is the host of other diseases that vaccines can help prevent and the fact that for many of these we're a long way behind where we should be, with millions of children missing out on vaccines during the pandemic.
It's an issue medics are hoping to raise as this week is the World Health Organisation's World Immunization Week. But actually there's lots of fantastic work going on in our region on just this subject which could have a major impact on global health.
So let's find out more about it Dr Marie O'Brien, co-founder of University of Liverpool spinout company called ReNewVax
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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
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Apr 20, 2023
"It's about bread-and-butter, life and death issues in your community": races to watch in May's local elections
In two weeks the country will just have elected some 8,000 new local councillors and we'll know who's going to be in control of town halls from Liverpool to Leicester and from Middlesbrough to Milton Keynes.
May's local elections are generally described from a national media standpoint as a litmus test of the popularity of our main party leaders - which is understandable given that we could be just a year out from the next General Election.
But actually these kinds of sweeping generalisations overlook the fact that at a local level the elections on May 4 could make a massive difference to the political scene in towns, villages and cities across the North of England.
On The Northern Agenda podcast this week Rob Parsons speaks with Jonathan Carr-West of the Local Government Information Unit think tank about the races to watch in the North and why we really all ought to be voting.
And Rob's joined by friend of the podcast Edna Robinson of the People's Powerhouse movement to talk about the North-South health divide, protests at the snooker and why Rishi Sunak's 'maths for all' plan doesn't add up.
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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
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Apr 17, 2023
⚡ The man bringing lightning fast broadband to the North 🌊 Carbon capture: Storing CO2 under the sea could bring jobs to our region
Northern Agenda Editor Rob Parsons is back on podcasting duties after a break for Easter and ready and raring to go with more expert analysis about two topics which could make a huge difference to the lives of people in our region in the coming years.
First, there's carbon capture and storage - where the harmful emissions from our polluting industries in the North aren't simply released into the atmosphere but stored in enormous under-sea caverns instead.
The Government is backing this technology to the tune of £20bn but how does it all work and will it make any difference to levelling up or net zero in places like Teesside, the Humber and the North West?
Rob's been talking to a leading expert, Jonathan Briggs, Director of Humber Zero with VPI Power, a firm based in Immingham south of the River Humber, to find out more.
PLUS: We all need a fast, reliable internet connection but there are still a few pockets of the country that can't get the fast broadband speeds the rest of us have come to expect - and many of them are in rural or remote towns and villages in the North.
That's a big problem for anyone trying to start a business in these areas and often means, ultimately, that families move out to find areas with better connections.
So the stakes are very high - and the man put in charge of the effort to roll out faster broadband is Simon Blagden, who chairs the government's Building Digital UK agency. He talks to Rob about his work on Project Gigabit and how broadband is even an issue in his village in North Yorkshire.
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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
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Mar 31, 2023
A Northern Agenda exclusive! The winner of the Levelling Up Fund: consultancy firms 🥇 Plus John Stevenson MP and Keane Duncan
There's a big exclusive this week from The Northern Agenda as we've been digging into the process that saw hundreds of local councils bidding for cash to improve their communities as part of the Levelling Up Fund.
There were lots of winners who got £20m here or £10m there for regeneration schemes but also many more losers who put time and money into their bids and got nowhere. But it turns out there was one big winner from the whole process and that's the consultancy firms who helped our cash-strapped local councils write their bids.
There's a huge change to local democracy arriving on April Fool's Day in the rural heartlands of the North. From April 1, in Cumbria and North Yorkshire the old system of district and county councils are being ditched and replaced by brand new unitary authorities.
Rob Parsons has been speaking to two politicians from those patches, Keane Duncan a senior councillor on the new North Yorkshire council talking about the hot potato of active travel schemes that prioritise cyclists and walkers over cars, and the A64, the road that's holding back North Yorkshire's economy.
And in Cumbria we're hearing from John Stevenson, the MP for Carlisle who also leads the influential Northern Research Group of backbench Tory MPs. Rob asked him how Levelling Up is faring under Rishi Sunak and why quite so many Conservatives are leaving politics ahead of the next election.
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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
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Mar 23, 2023
The North-South divide on asylum: a Northern Agenda special
The issue of who claims asylum in this country, in what numbers and how they're getting here has been hugely controversial in recent weeks.
Rishi Sunak has made his plan to 'stop the boats' one of his priorities as Prime Minister, and has unveiled legislation which aims to stop people claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means.
But as new government figures show that towns and cities in the North take a far greater share of asylum seekers than other parts of the country, what does it mean for the communities affected?
Rob Parsons reports from a conference in Newcastle where experts from a host of different fields put forward their view on how we can fix the country's broken asylum system.
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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
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Mar 15, 2023
💷 Budget 2023: the reaction to Jeremy Hunt's first Budget as Chancellor and what it means for the North
Calculators at the ready - it's that time of year again when the North's political and business leaders but also members of the public pay a little extra attention to what's being said in Westminster.
In a special live edition of The Northern Agenda podcast - Rob Parsons delves into Jeremy Hunt's first Budget as Chancellor and looks at what it means for the North.
There were some big national news lines: we saw a major expansion in state-funded childcare and tax breaks for businesses in Budget measures aimed at boosting economic growth.
But will levelling up efforts be helped by some of the other key policies - like big devolution deals for Greater Manchester, new low-tax investment zones and a massive boost for funding for carbon capture and storage?
We've got a fantastic panel full of expertise about Northern politics to dissect what it all means for people in our region.
- Zoë Billingham - Director of the IPPR North think-tank
- Nicola Headlam - the Chief Economist at Red Flag Alert and former Head of Northern Powerhouse at the Government's Cities and Local Growth Unit
- Tom Lees, the Managing Director at the Manchester-based economics consultancy firm Bradshaw Advisory
- And Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership
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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
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Mar 9, 2023
🏙️ The challenges and opportunities facing our cities with Newcastle NE1's Stephen Patterson 💷 And will Jeremy Hunt's Budget be a big moment for Levelling Up?
It's no secret that Newcastle is home to some of the most vibrant culture, nightlife, art, and business in the North of England and indeed the whole country.
It has more independent restaurants per capita than anywhere else outside London, local bosses say, and is bucking the national trend on footfall thanks to its thriving night time economy.
But with our relationship with our town and city centres shifting in recent years - and very rapidly since the pandemic - will places like Newcastle need to adapt if they're to stay vibrant for decades to come?
One man who probably knows the answer to that question is Stephen Patterson, the CEO of the business improvement district Newcastle NE1. He tells Rob Parsons about the challenges and opportunities facing our cities - and whether Newcastle United's footballing success has rubbed off on local businesses.
Elsewhere, Rob talks to Jack Shaw from the IPPR North think-tank about whether Jeremy Hunt's Budget will be a big moment for Levell…
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Mar 3, 2023
Roads minister Richard Holden on electric buses, Greater Manchester taking services under public control, and 15-minute cities
Electric buses are the future as we try and transition to a net zero transport system and get passengers back on public transport.
And this week Rob Parsons spoke to Roads Minister Richard Holden about the new zero emission buses coming to Yorkshire as well as Greater Manchester's plan to take services under public control and even his view of the controversial 15-minute cities idea.
Rob also takes a look at some of the important Northern politics stories that might have gone under the radar with Tom Lees, the managing director of Manchester consultancy firm Bradshaw Advisory.
We talk food banks, mayoral development rows and why a poem Rob wrote as a teenager might come back to haunt him.
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Feb 23, 2023
Louise Haigh on what Labour would do about our struggling bus and rail services
The sunshine was shimmering on the River Mersey this week as the region's leaders came together in Liverpool's Maritime Museum for the Northern Transport Summit.
The conference provides a high-profile opportunity for political and business leaders to unite on what the North needs to go further and faster - though maybe we could start by getting the trains to turn up on time.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper wasn't on Merseyside for the event, he was due to speak but pulled out at the last minute - which is not the first time he's had to cancel an appearance in front of Northern leaders.
But his Labour counterpart, Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, did speak and Rob Parsons caught up with her to find out what she'd do about our struggling bus and rail services.
And Rob picked over some of the North's biggest political stories - from asylum seekers to buses and Parmos - with Edna Robinson, chair of the People's Powerhouse movement.
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Feb 16, 2023
15-minute cities: an international socialist concept or giving people more freedom?
It's an idea few could take issue with - having all the services you need like work, food, health, education and culture within 15 minutes of your house by bike or on foot.
The urban planning concept of 15-minute cities is gaining traction around the world and in the UK, with leaders in Sheffield and Newcastle among those embracing the idea of self-sufficient neighbourhoods with less need for cars.
But the philosophy has many vocal opponents on the right of politics - and last week in the Commons Conservative Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher joined their ranks as he described 15-minute cities as an "international socialist concept" that "will cost us our personal freedom".
This week on The Northern Agenda podcast, the South Yorkshire 'red wall' MP tells Rob exactly why he's concerned - and a local councillor in Sheffield explains why the changes will make it easier to access services on your doorstep.
Also, Rob chats with Luke Myer from the IPPR North think-tank about some of the big events…
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Feb 9, 2023
Do we need a Minister for the North? | Kim Leadbeater MP on the skills training gap in the North
Getting more people into high-quality skills training is apparently one of Rishi Sunak's big priorities. And progress can't come soon enough as the gap in productivity - meaning the amount of value generated by the average worker per hour - is widening between the North and the South East.
But what would Labour do about it if they got into government? We might get the answer at the Labour Party Northern Skills Conference, held in Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire and chaired by Kim Leadbeater, the MP for Batley and Spen.
This week on the podcast Rob Parsons speaks to Kim about how we can get talented young people from the North into the jobs that will get our region's economy moving.
Rob also chews over some of the other big politics stories in the North with someone who's probably covered every inch of rail and road in our great region over the years, Henri Murison from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, described as the leading voice of business and civic leaders across the North…
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Feb 2, 2023
How we can save Northern football | Hydrogen: the job-creating chemical
On this week's episode, Rob Parsons takes a closer look at hydrogen. Don't worry, it's not a chemistry lesson - but a beginner's guide to how the most abundant chemical element in the universe could hold the key to creating thousands of jobs all across the North.
The Northern Agenda editor speaks to two experts from Teesside University so that hopefully when you hear politicians talking about hydrogen and net zero on the news in the coming weeks, you'll know what they're talking about.
Dr Venkatesan Venkata Krishnan, a senior lecturer in chemical engineering, and Professor Nashwan Dawood from the Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre, explain just why hydrogen could be so important for the region.
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And a new report by the Onward think tank and Northern Research Group of Tory MPs says Northern football clubs are under threat with areas set to lose the “lifeblood” of their communities without Government intervention.
It's a particularly timely report as this week the first detai…
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Jan 25, 2023
Exclusive interview with Michael Gove from the Convention of the North
It was a big day for our region this week as hundreds of business, civic and political leaders gathered at the Manchester Central complex for the annual Convention of the North.
Transport, skills, clean energy and manufacturing were all on the agenda as the North aimed to offer a united and ambitious voice setting out its hopes for the future.
And there were some big name speakers - including Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and his Labour shadow Lisa Nandy.
Northern Agenda Editor Rob Parsons was granted an exclusive interview with Mr Gove as he was whisked by car to the station after the conference - find out what he has to say about the Levelling Up Fund winners and losers, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and the tragic death of Rochdale boy Awaab Ishak.
And Rob is joined by Liam Thorp, Political Editor of the Liverpool Echo, to dissect the events of the day.
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Jan 20, 2023
The (onshore) wind beneath our wings | Why caring for vulnerable children could force councils to go bust
The way our town halls are funded is "broken", say local leaders, with those in the North suffering as a result of an unfair system.
There's a particularly stark example of the situation facing our local leaders in the town of Middlesbrough. One of the most deprived places in the country, its ability to turn things around is being hampered by the spiralling costs to the taxpayer of looking after vulnerable children.
It's not a Labour politician making this claim, but Mieka Smiles, the Conservative deputy mayor of Middlesbrough. Rob Parsons spoke to her about how town halls face effectively going bust because of the cost of children's services.
And as efforts continue to find clean ways to produce energy and create jobs into the bargain, Sam Richards from the pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade tells us how in one region of the North there's overwhelming support for onshore wind turbines.
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The Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons,…
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Jan 13, 2023
💼 Jonathan Ashworth on Labour's plan to help people back into work 🏳️🌈 What the Census reveals about LGBTQ communities in the North
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 f…
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Jan 5, 2023
The year Leeds culture comes out of hiding | The unfair system punishing Northern town halls
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…
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Dec 14, 2022
🗳️ Preview of the Stretford and Urmston by-election 📈 Are the prospects for Teesside getting any better?
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 attent…
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Dec 8, 2022
How the 'worst-ever outbreak of bird flu' could hit the North's farms and dinner tables | Northern Power Women: accelerating gender equality
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.t…
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Nov 30, 2022
📣 'This is the North': a Northern Agenda special from The People's Powerhouse annual convention
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 conferenceThe Northern Agenda is a Laudable production for Reach. It is presented by Rob Parsons, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.Yo…
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Nov 24, 2022
🗳️ It's by-election season in Chester and Stretford! | Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd on how we can prevent another tragedy like Awaab Ishak
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…
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Nov 17, 2022
😠 'I'm furious': Yorkshire mayor reacts to autumn statement 👪 What future for children of the North?
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 acro…
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Nov 10, 2022
💷 Government expands intervention into Liverpool City Council 🤝 The 93% Club: an alternative to the old boys network
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 he…
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Nov 4, 2022
🏫 How primary school children running drugs for gangs has "become the norm" in the North
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 an…
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Oct 26, 2022
🏥 The "ticking time bomb" in the North's hospitals 🛡️ Turning Scarborough into a Cyber Security HQ
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 inspi…
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Oct 19, 2022
🚌 Why Leeds lags behind Dublin and Lille 🏗️ Our attitude towards Levelling Up
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 fin…
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Oct 13, 2022
Dr Kieran Mullan MP on sentencing for child murderers | How well-prepared is the North East for the coming economic storm?
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…
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Oct 6, 2022
The future of STEM: how we can get more young people in the North into science and technology jobs
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/
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Sep 29, 2022
What will the North get from Tory conference? | Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotherham on hydrogen, buses and tourism tax
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 c…
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Sep 22, 2022
Labour Party conference preview with Kevin Maguire | Catherine McKinnell MP on the East Coast Mainline | How the North can help Liz Truss
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 thos…
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Sep 15, 2022
The great Cumbrian council shake-up | Why businesses need to stop the search for employee 'unicorns'
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…
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Sep 1, 2022
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen on Boris Johnson's legacy | Political cartoonist Graeme Bandeira joins The Northern Agenda!
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. McLaugh…
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Aug 25, 2022
Andy Burnham on "shouting into the abyss" with Boris Johnson | Sacha Lord on how the cost of living crisis is hitting hospitality
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'Donogh…
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Aug 18, 2022
The North's housing shame | Stephen Topping on Rochdale's forgotten estate | Why Yorkshire's rented homes are the worst in England
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.then…
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Aug 11, 2022
Crime and punishment in the North: Ex-chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal and police watchdog Andy Cooke on how to tackle grooming and burglary
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…
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Aug 4, 2022
Sir Roger Marsh on what Local Enterprise Partnerships want to hear from Sunak & Truss | Matt Cook on the northern queer identity
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 Manche…
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Jul 27, 2022
Our message to Sunak and Truss: Don't Turn Your Back On The North | The Northern Powerhouse: 8 years on
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 th…
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Jul 21, 2022
Nick Fletcher on the fight to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport | Will Universal Basic Income ever become a thing?
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 newsle…
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Jul 14, 2022
Anna Turley on the North East becoming the UK's child poverty hotspot | Upgrading the 76-mile Transpennine rail between Manchester and York
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'Don…
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Jul 6, 2022
The Northern Agenda: Oliver Coppard on South Yorkshire's buses | Tris Brown on 100 ideas for the North
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 Agend…
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Jun 30, 2022
Louise Haigh on why she thinks Boris Johnson's Red Wall will crumble | Sir Robert Goodwill on fishing, levelling up, and the prime minister
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 Laudab…
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Jun 23, 2022
Lexit: Should Leigh split from Wigan? | The prejudices against northern accents
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 pl…
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Jun 15, 2022
Wakefield by-election special: The Northern Agenda and YorkshireLive hustings
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/
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Jun 9, 2022
Jacob Young on the confidence vote and why every MP should be a 'levelling up MP' | James Daly on the question of sport in the North
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/
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Jun 6, 2022
How the Tories are faring in the North's big cities – and why the party has no councillors in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle
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 EchoThe 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/
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May 26, 2022
Lisa Nandy on Labour's vision for levelling up | Tory MP Miriam Cates on why a manufacturing revival is needed in the North
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. Mc…
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May 19, 2022
Susan Hinchcliffe on why Bradford should be a test case for levelling up | IPPR North's Zoe Billingham on her new job | Community Powers Act
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, a…
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May 12, 2022
Tracy Brabin on her first year as West Yorkshire mayor | Author Sam Bright on the injustices between London and the North
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 A…
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May 6, 2022
A 2022 local elections special | Rachael Maskell on trains in the North | Manchester Tech Festival and the digital divide
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 newslett…
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Apr 28, 2022
Damien Moore MP on war memorials | Professor Helen Marshall on higher technical education | The fight for overall control in Stockport
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 '…
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Apr 21, 2022
TUC's Frances O'Grady on getting tough against "corporate gangsters" | The most radical shake-up to North Yorkshire politics in decades
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…
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Apr 14, 2022
The influential Northerners you've (probably) never heard of | Local election focus on Wirral
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/
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Apr 7, 2022
Catherine McKinnell on the cost of living crisis | How politicians can win over the countryside | Who'll be next South Yorkshire mayor?
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…
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Mar 31, 2022
Dan Jarvis on his time as the Mayor of South Yorkshire and why he is stepping down | Sir John Curtice's predictions for the local elections
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…
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Mar 24, 2022
Reaction to Rishi Sunak's Spring Statement | Durham's bid to become the 2025 UK City of Culture
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.…
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Mar 18, 2022
Behind the scenes at The Northern Agenda Live
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 lev…
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Mar 11, 2022
Highlights from The Northern Agenda Live
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…
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Mar 3, 2022
🇺🇦 Why Rochdale is "standing shoulder to shoulder" with Ukraine | The dentistry crisis in the North
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 waitin…
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Feb 24, 2022
🚍 Northern bus crisis: a special report from The Northern Agenda
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 Labo…
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Feb 17, 2022
How Northern Gritstone is hoping to bridge the North-South research funding gap | What do communities want from net zero?
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 La…
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Feb 10, 2022
Lisa Nandy MP on Michael Gove and the Levelling Up white paper | 5 things you need to know about politics in Cumbria
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/
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Feb 3, 2022
Labour's Laura Pidcock on why she quit the NEC and her thoughts on Keir Starmer | How businesses are coping with Covid and net zero
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/
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Feb 2, 2022
Reaction to the Levelling Up White Paper: what does it mean for the North?
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/
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Jan 27, 2022
Jake Berry MP on why he is backing Boris Johnson | The cost of school uniforms in Wakefield | The politics of Liverpool
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…
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Jan 20, 2022
Scott Benton MP on Boris Johnson's leadership and THAT defection | Levelling up Northern culture | 5 things you need to know about Sheffield
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 pro…
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Jan 17, 2022
The Northern Agenda: Clean Air Zone special | Reactions from Greater Manchester, Newcastle, and York
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 Northe…
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Jan 7, 2022
Omicron surges in the North West | Tim Farron on holiday lets, farming and the Lib Dems | The politics of York
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 po…
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Dec 24, 2021
It's a Northern Agenda Christmas Quiz!
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/
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Dec 16, 2021
What Greater Manchester thinks about levelling up | Sedgefield MP Paul Howell | 5 things you need to know about Middlesbrough
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 Agend…
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Dec 10, 2021
Why rising inequality is costing the North billions | How Labour can win back northern heartlands with Alex Cunningham MP |
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 expl…
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Dec 3, 2021
The Yorkshire village turning into a ghost town | Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake on rebelling on the social care levy | The People's Powerhouse
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…
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Nov 25, 2021
Manchester MP Afzal Khan on Islamophobia | The winter and Covid pressures on the NHS | 5 things you need to know about Lancashire
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 dis…
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Nov 18, 2021
An Integrated Rail Plan or the 'great train robbery'? | Five things you need to know about politics in Northumberland
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/
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Nov 15, 2021
Our demand for the government to keep its rail promises | Philip Davies & Susan Hinchcliffe on Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 in Bradford
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 discusse…
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Nov 4, 2021
Jamie Driscoll on why the government should lend the North of Tyne £500m | Why poor public transport is costing the North | Politics of Hull
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…
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Oct 29, 2021
What the Autumn Statement means for the North | Bridget Phillipson's reaction to the Budget | 5 things you need to know about Oldham
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…
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Oct 21, 2021
Net zero and the North | What you think about the 'Levelling Up' agenda | Redcar MP Jacob Young | Sheffield Hallam MP Olivia Blake
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 mai…
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Oct 14, 2021
Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram on 'levelling up' minister Michael Gove | Sheffield's youngest - and only Tory - councillor | Life expectancy
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…
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Oct 8, 2021
Examining the plight of the North's hard-pressed town halls | Takeaways from the Conservative Party Conference
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', Newca…
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Oct 1, 2021
Preview of the Conservative Party Conference | Ben Houchen on 'levelling up' and other metro mayors
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/
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Sep 23, 2021
The Northern Agenda launches! Preview of the Labour Party Conference | John McDonnell on leadership vote reforms | Ian Byrne on Hillsborough
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…
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Dec 30, 2019
Interview with Lisa Nandy
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.
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Dec 13, 2019
Election Special - The Morning After
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.
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Dec 10, 2019
On the Battle-Bus
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.
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Dec 4, 2019
Word on the street
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.
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Nov 27, 2019
Manifestos
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.
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Nov 21, 2019
The Not-Brexit Election
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.
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Nov 14, 2019
Mopping Up
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.
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Nov 6, 2019
Winter Is Coming
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.
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Nov 5, 2019
The North Poll - Trailer
Here's what you can expect from The North Poll podcast.
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