North West journalists Michael Taylor and Chris Maguire have launched a new political podcast to give a greater voice to the North.
The pair are both former editors of North West Business Insider and have joined forces with Manchester-based agency What Media to produce the ‘Northern Spin’ podcast.
The hosts say the weekly 30-minute podcast will provide insight into current affairs, politics and a bit of business, but from a uniquely Northern perspective.
Maguire, who is currently executive editor of BusinessCloud and sister website TechBlast, said: “I love political podcasts but they’re very London-centric and we felt there was a gap in the market for one that focused on the North.
“We’ve heard a lot about the Northern Powerhouse and Levelling Up but the Northern voice is only attracting a cursory mention in Westminster. We have a new Prime Minister, we’re a maximum of two years away from the next general election and the so-called ‘Red Wall’ seats in the North will go a long way to deciding the outcome. That’s why we’ve launched Northern Spin.”
Taylor, who describes himself as a ‘journalist and politico’, works as the political advisor to the Labour Group on Stockport Council, and has recently completed a Masters thesis on Metro Mayors: “The key to Northern Spin will be the insight we can provide into what Northern leaders, like Mayors, are doing to genuinely deliver change, fairness and prosperity for the North.
“The North is a hotbed of ideas, innovation and progress. It isn’t a problem for Westminster to solve, but can be an active part of the solution to so many challenges.”
Until last year Taylor worked as head of regional affairs at Manchester Metropolitan University where he co-convened the MetroPolis think tank to connect Northern academics with policymakers.
“I was attracted to the idea because Chris and I are actually quite different. Sure, we’re a couple of white blokes who worked for the same company a decade ago, but while I’m firmly centre-left, Chris is more of a conservative with a small ‘c’.
“Also, while I’m an actual natural-born Northerner, Chris is adopted.”
The pair planned to launch the podcast in the week Liz Truss was appointed Prime Minister and considered delaying it after the death of the Queen.
Maguire said: “We both understood the enormity of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and decided to rip up the running order and devote the beginning of the show to her memory. That’s the beauty of podcasting.”
You can find Northern Spin on Spotify.
