​A few weeks ago on a visit to Leeds, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said there was "something really special" about the health ecosystem in the city - which boasts more NHS England and Department for Health staff than anywhere outside London.

But the ambitions of health bosses in Yorkshire's biggest city go ​f​urther still. A few days ago its hospital trust set out a new strategy to cement its position as the UK's largest research powerhouse outside the traditional so-called Golden Triangle of life sciences in London, Oxford and Cambridge.

Targeting a 40% increase in research activity by 2030, it's hoped the five-year research and innovation strategy will achieve a host of other goals, namely improving health outcomes, tackling health inequalities and driving economic growth.

On the Northern Agenda podcast this week, Dr Chris Herbert, Director of Operations for Research and Innovation at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, tells Rob Parsons​ about the pioneering work its researchers are already doing, the North-South divide on research funding and how he wants underserved communities in Yorkshire to feel the benefit from the new strategy.

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Rob Parsons looks at a story playing out in the North that sits squarely in the middle of two huge issues Keir Starmer and the Labour government want to be judged on at the next election: economic growth and the net zero agenda.

In the coming days the Hull-based firm Vivergo Fuels will find out whether it has a viable future, or whether it will have to start the process of laying off its 160 employees because of the impact of this year's trade deal signed between the UK and Donald Trump's USA.

But there's a huge amount at stake not just for the company and its staff, but thousands more workers in the supply chain, and also the future of the growing biofuels industry - essentially turning living matter into fuel - which has the potential to bring lots of jobs and investment into many areas of the North.

Rob speaks to Vivergo's managing director Ben Hackett, who says the decision made by the Government over whether to support his company will have huge implications for our farmers and even our ability to fill up our cars at petrol stations.

The Northern Agenda is a Reach production, presented by Rob Parsons and Liam Thorp, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.

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For a lot of football fans around the country, the season is getting under way this weekend. But in South Yorkshire and on the Lancashire coast, two sets of fans will have a very real sense of trepidation that their clubs are about to disappear.

Sheffield Wednesday and Morecambe don't have much in common in terms of their football histories, but are both in dire financial trouble and face sanctions from football authorities. 

Rob and Liam talk to Liverpool academic and football accounting expert Kieran Maguire about how two Northern clubs were left teetering on the brink and what it tells us about modern football.

Plus Rob has an awkward encounter with an AI version of a Northern MP. And Liam tells us about the rather rude email he had from a BBC Newsnight viewer after he appeared on the show this week to talk immigration.

The Northern Agenda is a Reach production, presented by Rob Parsons and Liam Thorp, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. The image is by Northern Agenda resident cartoonist Graeme Bandeira.

You can read all of the latest newsletters from The Northern Agenda here.

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There's still several years until we're likely to get another General Election, but it's no longer a stretch to consider the possibility of Nigel Farage as Prime Minister and Reform UK as the ruling party.

Until very recently however, we had precious little evidence of how and what Reform would actually do in power, since they had very little experience of actually running anything.

All that changed in May though, as the party swept to victory in a host of local and mayoral elections across the North and nationwide, putting them in charge of local councils and metro mayoral authorities.

How have they been doing since - and what lessons can we draw from Reform UK locally about what they would do if put in charge of the country?

To find, Rob Parsons speaks to journalists from the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme:

The Northern Agenda is a Reach production, presented by Rob Parsons and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.

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This week, Rob Parsons and Liam Thorp digest the big news that could get us closer to the truth about the violent clashes between police and striking miners four decades ago that are still a source of huge anger in parts of our region even now.

Plus Liam tells us about his trip on the new form of transport that's been gliding about the streets of Liverpool​. ​

And there are some worrying new stats that show for all of Labour's warm words about tackling child poverty, things in many parts of the North are still going in the wrong direction.

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With Oasis' Manchester gigs the talk of the town, even senior politicians like Commons Leader Lucy Powell can't resist making groan-inducing puns about the Gallagher brothers' classic songs.

But with the five Heaton Park concerts generating tens of millions of pounds, how can we ensure the wider community benefits? And Liam tells us about his Oasis experience standing in front of Boltonian icon Vernon Kay.

Elsewhere, after the tragic death of a child in Liverpool from measles, why are fewer and fewer families in some parts of the North getting vaccinated against this potentially deadly illness?

And we'll be having a look at what Reform UK are up to in County Durham, where having taken over the local council a few weeks ago Nigel Farage's party has now cancelled the 'climate emergency' declared by a previous administration six years ago.  

Rob and Liam are joined this week by Sarah Longlands, who's based in Manchester and is Chief Executive of The Centre for Local Economic Strategies.

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​It's hard to believe a law that came into effect 200 years ago is still in force today. And on the podcast this week, Liam Thorp explains why the repeal of the cruel Vagrancy Act - which dates back to 1824 - can't come soon enough.

Rob Parsons looks into why university leaders are trying to persuade the Government about the vital economic impact international students have on towns and cities in the North of England - and why there could be a lot at stake if they don't succeed.

And as Liam heads off to watch Oasis at Heaton Park, Rob ponders whether he should adopt a new nickname inspired by rap sensation Pitbull.

The Northern Agenda is a Reach production, presented by Rob Parsons and Liam Thorp, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.

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This week we're marking exactly one year since Keir Starmer and Labour won ​t​he 2024 General Election. But what's the last 12 months of a Labour government meant for the North, has ​S​ir Keir lived up to his promises or have things just got worse?

That's what ​Rob and Liam are discussing on this week's episode, as they reflect on the good and bad of Starmer's first year (including some policies they definitely won't be talking around down the Dog and Duck in Beverley).

Plus: How much is Andy Burnham's bus network in Greater Manchester actually costing? And how did one Yorkshire spa owner turn a mortifying social media faux pas into an opportunity?

And Liam tells us how his Liverpool Echo colleagues covered the tragic breaking story about the death of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota.

The Northern Agenda is Reach production, presented by Rob Parsons and Liam Thorp, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.

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With Liam Thorp off this week, Rob Parsons spends today's episode looking into one of the perennial bugbears of politicians across the North: potholes.

They're a big issue for voters - and the new Labour government has told local councils they must publicly report on what they're doing to keep our roads fit for driving by June 30 or risk losing their share of an additional £500 million of funding.

In this episode of The Northern Agenda Podcast, we’ll explore what this means for councils, the road maintenance industry, and the communities that depend on well-maintained local roads for driving, cycling and catching the bus across the North.

Rob talks to Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood about the thinking behind the new policy and gets the industry perspective from Newcastle-based David Jobling-Purser, vice-chair of the Road Emulsion Association.

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Why are so many private hire taxi drivers in the North of England licensed in Wolverhampton - and what's that got to do with the grooming gangs scandal?

Rob Parsons and Liam Thorp have a Northern take on this week's big report into child sexual exploitation in this week's Northern Agenda podcast as they take a look at the big political stories across the region.

There's also the fascinating case of the Merseyside man who successfully won a court battle to avoid paying his licence fee because he doesn't watch any live TV. Is this a sign of how our viewing habits are changing?

And Rob has a very niche suggestion for what Sunderland council ought to have called the city's new footbridge after getting residents to help come up with a name.

The Northern Agenda is a Reach production, presented by Rob Parsons and Liam Thorp, and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin.

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