The Northern Agenda

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 Parson...

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 Brit...

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 o...

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...

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...

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 adventure...

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...

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...

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 tr...

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 w...

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...

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...

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...

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 polit...

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Professo...

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...

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. L...

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po...

Here's what you can expect from The North Poll podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices