We’re delighted to be partnering with The Northern Agenda at our Annual Conference 2021. Here, the news title’s editor Rob Parsons outlines how the new project will help amplify the voice of the North.
It feels like there’s never been a better – or more important – time to be reporting on the politics of the North of England than this current moment.
After the seismic General Election result of 2019, all the old certainties and clichés about the North have gone out the window and the region of great cities, historic towns and glorious countryside could be on the verge of a permanent electoral shift.
But at the same time many of the old problems that have held Northern England back for decades persist. It’s hard to get around, education and skills lag behind London and the South East and the region’s poor health left it exposed to the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Northern Agenda – a new project that I’m immensely proud to edit – aims to bring these topics and more to the fore and tell the stories of the North from outside the Westminster bubble.
Reach already has a strong presence across the North, with well-established brands like the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo and the Newcastle Chronicle and Journal as well as newer titles like Yorkshire Live and Lancashire Live all devoted to covering life across our vibrant and diverse region.
Featuring the best political coverage from these titles and others around the North, The Northern Agenda will also be analysing and dissecting the trends and stories that are common throughout – whether that’s transport, the impact of Covid-19, or the push for high-skilled, green jobs.
It’s all brought to you in a daily email that drops into your inbox just before lunchtime.
In addition to the work of award-winning Northern journalists like the Manchester Evening News’ Jennifer Williams and the Liverpool Echo’s Liam Thorp, The Northern Agenda has its own Westminster Correspondent Dan O’Donoghue ensuring the region’s voice is heard in SW1.
In the months to come we’ll be producing a weekly Northern Agenda podcast and special reports on the political trends that will shape our region.
If you want to make sure you’re on top of political agenda in the North, you’ll want to sign up to The Northern Agenda newsletter here.