What will the North of England look like in 2030? There’s widespread agreement that tackling regional inequality is one of the big political issues of our time, but the question is 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 Levelling Up agenda? And what role should the government and private enterprise play and should we focus on short-term gains or tackling longer, structural problems?
These are the questions The Northern Agenda political newsletter will be seeking to answer when it brings together some of the region's key decision-makers and experts for the first ever conference: Northern Agenda Live.
The five-hour conference between 10.30am and 3.15pm on March 11 will be held in front of a small invited audience at the headquarters of the Newcastle Chronicle and Journal but will be streamed free online.
Keynote speakers include Wigan MP and Labour's Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy, Neil O'Brien, the Yorkshire-born Minister in Michael Gove's department who has played a central role in defining what Levelling Up will mean for the North, and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
And leading experts on health, education and skills, business, transport and culture will aim to identify what the main areas of focus should be to tackle the inequalities that have held back our region for decades.
Watch the the morning session of the event live at this link from 10.25am.
And after 1.05pm click here for the afternoon session.
To get the latest news and updates about the conference sign up at www.thenorthernagenda.co.uk.
Northern Agenda Live: Itinerary
10:30am : Welcome from Northern Agenda Editor Rob Parsons
10:35am : Video message from Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham
10:40am - 11:25am : Panel discussion
Can the North thrive if it’s poor and unhealthy?
Chair: Helena Vesty, Manchester Evening News Health Correspondent
Speakers: Prof Clare Bambra, Newcastle University
Kim McGuinness, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
Amanda Bailey, North East Child Poverty Commission
John McCabe, North East England Chamber of Commerce
11:30am - 12:10pm : Panel discussion
Can and should the North speak with one voice?
Chair: Rob Parsons, Northern Agenda Editor
Speakers: Jamie Driscoll, Mayor of the North of Tyne
Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive, Transport for the North
Katy Shaw, Director of Cultural Partnerships, Northumbria University
Jonathan Webb, IPPR North
12:15pm - 12:35pm : Keynote speech
Levelling Up Minister Neil O’Brien on...Empowering the North’s local leaders
1:05pm - 1:25pm : Question and answer session with Anne Longfield, chair of the Commission on Young Lives and former Children's Commissioner for England
1:25pm - 2:05pm : Panel discussion
How can the North lead on the green agenda?
Chair: Newcastle Journal Editor Graeme Whitfield
Speakers:
Chi Onwurah, Newcastle Central MP and Shadow Minister for Science, Research & Innovation
Matt Boyle, North East Automotive Alliance
Tom Nightingale, Equinor/NOF Energy
2.10pm to 2:50pm : Panel discussion:
How do we level up the North’s skills and education?
Chair: Dan O’Donoghue, Westminster Editor for Reach
Speakers:
Anne Longfield, chair of the Commission on Young Lives
Henri Murison, Northern Powerhouse Partnership
Ellen Thinnesen, Education Partnership North East
Debra de Muschamp, IRIS Learning Trust
2.55-3.15pm : Keynote speech
Lisa Nandy, Wigan MP and Shadow Levelling Up Secretary
You can read full reports from the day on the ChronicleLive website and in a special edition of The Northern Agenda which will appear on Sunday. And look out for the latest episodes of The Northern Agenda podcast which will appear in the next few days with behind-the-scenes action from the conference.
