The Northern Agenda podcast is back after a Christmas break for 2024 - and it seems only right to kick off the year with a look ahead to some of the stories we're going to be talking about in Northern politics in the next 12 months. The impending General Election will surely loom large over political debate in our region. But there are a host of fascinating sub-plots across the North that will make headlines of their own - and potentially play a part in deciding who gets the keys to Number 10. And Rob Parsons dissects some of them with two fantastic guests. Professor Andy Westwood from Manchester University and Jen Williams, Northern Correspondent for the Financial Times. Does Rishi Sunak have any chance of keeping hold of the Tories' seats in the North? What are the big mayoral and local elections to watch? And 10 years on from George Osborne's big Northern Powerhouse speech in 2014, are we any closer to seeing his vision become reality? Find out as we take a look ahead at what will surely be a frenetic and dramatic year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices