The Northern Agenda
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 and Liam Thorp look at 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/
151
Dan Jarvis on his time as the Mayor of South Yo...
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...
35 min
152
Reaction to Rishi Sunak's Spring Statement | Du...
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...
26 min
153
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,...
37 min
154
Highlights from The Northern Agenda Live
Thereβs 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...
23 min
155
πΊπ¦ Why Rochdale is "standing shoulder to should...
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...
15 min
156
π Northern bus crisis: a special report from Th...
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...
52 min
157
How Northern Gritstone is hoping to bridge the ...
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...
34 min
158
Lisa Nandy MP on Michael Gove and the Levelling...
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...
33 min
159
Labour's Laura Pidcock on why she quit the NEC ...
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...
42 min
160
Reaction to the Levelling Up White Paper: what ...
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...
53 min
161
Jake Berry MP on why he is backing Boris Johnso...
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...
33 min
162
Scott Benton MP on Boris Johnson's leadership a...
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...
44 min
163
The Northern Agenda: Clean Air Zone special | R...
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...
43 min
164
Omicron surges in the North West | Tim Farron o...
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...
47 min
165
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...
23 min
166
What Greater Manchester thinks about levelling ...
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...
49 min
167
Why rising inequality is costing the North bill...
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...
39 min
168
The Yorkshire village turning into a ghost town...
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...
38 min
169
Manchester MP Afzal Khan on Islamophobia | The ...
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...
39 min
170
An Integrated Rail Plan or the 'great train rob...
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...
24 min
171
Our demand for the government to keep its rail ...
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...
44 min
172
Jamie Driscoll on why the government should len...
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...
44 min
173
What the Autumn Statement means for the North |...
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...
44 min
174
Net zero and the North | What you think about t...
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...
44 min
175
Liverpool mayor Steve Rotheram on 'levelling up...
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...
41 min