On 6 September I attended the first Convention of the North in Newcastle. This was an historic gathering of political, civic and business leaders from across the North, in the Baltic Galleries on the banks of the Tyne and a fitting venue in which to forge a new spirit of collaboration.

Manchester's Mayor, Andy Burnham, helped to set the tone, arguing that this was about ‘both sides of the Pennines, speaking with one voice on big issues of common interest…the North is uniting, demanding the ability to shape its own destiny' .