The Northern Rose Podcast

In This Episode We sit down with Zoe, a local climate activist who has been arrested multiple times for taking part in protests. We explore what first motivated her to become an activist, what keeps her going despite the personal risks, and how she is trying to raise attention to the climate crisis. Zoe speaks about the philosophy behind her actions - from moral responsibility and urgency to the b...

We discuss the rapid rise of social media and digital platforms as primary news sources, the decline of editorial standards in legacy media, and how this has created fertile ground for misinformation and disinformation. Unlike traditional newspapers or broadcasters, algorithm-driven platforms personalise news feeds, removing the randomness that once exposed people to a wider range of views and sto...

Drawing on findings from their study, the conversation explores how harassment, intimidation and violence shape women’s experiences of public space, exercise and safety. We discuss what the data reveals about the scale and normalisation of abuse and why responsibility is so often placed on women to adapt their behaviour rather than on men to change. The episode also looks at the structural factors...

This Christmas, we sat down to ask a simple question: what would Manchester actually ask Andy Burnham for if he were Farther Christmas? In this Christmas episode, we talk through a Manchester Christmas wish list - from fair, inflation-linked pay for transport workers, to better communication, visibility and accountability from the Mayor himself. With public services under pressure and trust in pol...

The exchange was civil, but revealing. While we found areas of agreement on issues like the cost of living and the dangers of concentrating power, the discussion ultimately exposed how far-right rhetoric relies not on logic or evidence, but on racial hatred and fear of the “other.”We break down the contradictions we heard, explain why these arguments fall apart under scrutiny, and reflect on what...

In this episode, we reflect on several months of reporting across Manchester — from the city’s escalating mental health care crisis to the growing wave of industrial action from TfGM workers and UCU staff. What we’ve seen on the ground paints a picture of services pushed to breaking point after years of austerity, understaffing, and below-inflation pay offers that have left public-sector workers f...

The #SomeoneIKnew campaign — a collective of women fighting back against the weaponisation of gender-based violence to target trans people and refugees. Recorded at The World Transformed Festival, this honest and reflective conversation explores mental health, adolescence, and how young people can be drawn into far-right narratives. Dinah and Adele share what they would say to a teenage boy who re...

After years of austerity and government cuts, many people are left with little or no mental health support, highlighting how policy decisions directly impact our most vulnerable. We hear first-hand stories from those affected, shining a light on the realities of underfunded care and grassroots solutions. This episode continues our coverage of Manchester’s mental health crisis, following our fifth...

Click here for the petition for William . Links for coverage about William in both the BBC & The Guardian . Hello and welcome back to another episode of The Northern Rose's Podcast and our first filmed podcast for YouTube . We open the episode by talking about William Plastow’s detention. He’s set to spend 21 months in jail after he was arrested for a non-violent protest against the UK’s involveme...

As part of our wealth tax series , we hosted Joe Wright from Tax Justice UK on this episode. It’s a fascinating chat and a must-listen for anyone interested in progressive politics. In mainstream media, calls for a wealth tax are getting louder - l argely due to the work of Gary Stevenson - but critics argue that the wealthy will leave the country or the tax simply won’t work. In this episode we h...

Following up from the article The Hotspur Press: What It Reveals About the Spread of Conspiracy Theories , the team talk about why there was a rush of conspiracy theories in the aftermath of the Hotspur Press fire. Adam suggests that it could be because people are feeling disenfranchised with our voting system which has led to distrust with our decision makers. This is a public episode. If you wou...

Following an academic conference on sports and discrimination in Cologne last week, we explore how elite sports organisations may create conditions that increase the risk of mental health disorders in athletes. With that example in mind, we ask: Who is actually happy at work today? And if people are unhappy, why is that the case, and what can we do to improve them? Thank you for all the support fo...

It was our pleasure to have Dr. John Mulligan as our guest this week. With over 20 years experience in mental health in the region, Dr. Mulligan has frequently reached out to the press to raise awareness about the devastating impact austerity has had on Manchester’s early intervention service. In this episode, we ask why - and who - has allowed this crisis to unfold, as austerity continues to hit...

In this episode we discuss why people are voting Reform and the alienation lefties may be feeling at the moment. With every passing day, it feels like Nigel Farage and his Reform contingent are everywhere, claiming opportunistic wins around every corner. There is - of course - no substance behind Reform’s claims, but that doesn’t seem to stop their rhetoric growing. For those feeling like they nee...

In this podcast episode Dr. Adam North expands on his doctorate. After years of studying structural racism, Adam brings up a distinction between explicit and implicit racism and how coded language works. With the rise of Reform across the country, the team discuss some of the rhetoric which has led to their recent success. It’s a fast paced episode with some of the themes here are likely to come u...

Before The Northern Rose came Pub Politics. It was an attempt to give a ‘sober take on drunken debate’. First published on the 16/07/24, the ‘Pub Politicians’ provided some theory behind what left and right politics mean. Designed to give our audience an edge over a debate in the pub, the podcast can now provide some explanation for The Northern Rose’s socialist foundations. We hope you enjoy and...

Welcome to our first Northern Rose podcast. In this episode we try to outline our reasons and motivations for starting The Northern Rose and Adam talks about some of the thought processes behind his opinion pieces. There’s also a bit of general politics chat to go with the opinion pieces, we hope you enjoy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get a...