January 6, 2025 • 26 mins
In this powerful episode, Kim McGuinness, the first Mayor of the North East, takes us on an inspiring journey from her working-class roots in Newcastle to becoming a trailblazer for the region. Kim shares how her upbringing, shaped by her father’s work in the shipyards and her mother’s dedication to family, fuelled her passion for social change. Encouraged by local MP Catherine McKinnell, Kim defied stereotypes and launched a career in politics, rising through the ranks from council member to Police and Crime Commissioner, all driven by her mission to create social mobility.
Throughout the conversation, Kim reflects on the North East as a land of opportunity, despite challenges like child poverty and the North-South divide. We delve into her transformative vision for the region, including investments in start-ups, public transport reforms, and strategies for empowering youth. Kim also opens up about the gender imbalance in politics, sharing candid insights into the misogyny and online harassment she has faced, while celebrating the progress towards equality and the importance of women in leadership roles.
This episode is a testament to the power of unity and collaboration. Kim highlights the collective efforts of northern mayors to tackle local issues, and offers a glimpse into balancing a demanding political career with family life, especially in a political-military household. With aspirations to elevate the voices of northern women and celebrate everyday heroes, Kim’s story is an inspiring call to action for all. Tune in to hear how the North East’s resilience and passion are shaping the future.
Chapters:
00:11 Welcome to the Podcast
01:03 Role Models in the North East
10:28 Empowering North East Youth Through Politics
18:16 Northern Mayors, Military Life, Podcast Dreams
26:19 Northern Role Models and the Sparkle Celebration
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power
podcast.
We are on tour in the Toon.
We are over in the northeast ofEngland and we are delighted to
be here.
We love it over here because itis jam jam packed with role
models and today I'm literallyjoined by the queen of the
northeast, kim mcginnis.
(00:31):
I've been a kid I'm literally agirl fan of for years and years
and equally, you have been suchan avid, avid, active,
intentional supporter ofnorthern power women awards and
we are power of the year, so I'mdelighted to welcome the very
first mayor of the North East,kim McGuinness.
Welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Oh, thank you.
What an intro, honestly, whatan intro.
Welcome to the North East,welcome to Newcastle.
We obviously are delighted tohave you here.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Oh, do you know what?
We love it, and we've broughtthe whole team on tour as well,
as we're hosting events galoreand getting chat into some of
the brilliant role models.
So talk to me about you know.
How is your upbringing shapesbecoming there?
How did you know it's not aseasy we always talk about.
There's never any one straightpathway.
How did you get from here tohere?
(01:17):
Do you know?
I've got no idea.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
I think really importantly, I must say that I
never had any intention of beinga politician and I still
sometimes struggle and peoplesay, well, what do you do I?
still sometimes think gosh, I'mthe mayor and you know I'm
actually a full time workingpolitician and I find that
really it's not.
It's not something that reallyis natural to me.
(01:41):
It was very accidental that Iended up here, but I'm from the
northeast, I'm from Newcastle,very working class background,
and my dad worked on theshipyards like a lot of people,
he was a scaffolder.
My mom worked in sort of parttime insecure jobs, like a lot
of women now, and you know I hada very happy childhood, which
you know.
There were definitely elementsof hardship but that definitely
(02:04):
drove my politics.
A unionised household that is inthe North East.
In the 80s and 90s it was aLabour house, although we
weren't necessarily verypolitical.
So I was the first in my familyto go to university.
I was very lucky I stayed inthe region to do that and then I
went into work, first of allfor HSBC.
(02:28):
I did a bit of banking and thenwent into a bit of recruitment
into the education sector,worked for students, students,
unions, doing employment,employability, and then kind of
back into the private sector andback to back to charities and I
was doing well.
I was perfectly happy in my, inmy job and career.
But I moved back to thenortheast, having lived away for
(02:49):
a while in 2013 and um.
At the time, I thought that thegovernment that we had, which
was the coalition government,was terrible.
I was seeing libraries andcommunity centers closed, which
was really difficult for a kidwho relied on those things
growing up, and so I got out anddid a bit of campaigning.
I'd always been a labor growingup, and so I got out and did a
bit of campaigning.
I'd always been a Labour memberbut hadn't done anything.
Got out and did a bit ofcampaigning and eventually
(03:11):
somebody said to me you shouldstand, stand for the council.
It was our MP at the time.
Well, she still is the MP.
Catherine McKinnell said youshould stand for the council and
I said I can't do that.
And I said I can't do that.
It's not for people like me.
You know, it's my image waspeople who were retired or
people with loads of experienceor or all of those, all of those
(03:33):
um stereotypes.
And she came back to me.
She said you know, you, youreally should.
And I said no, I know, maybeit's another time.
And then eventually, on thethird time of asking, she said
we really need you to stand forthe council, and so that's kind
of it.
The rest is history.
I did it, loved it.
Um ran part of the city as thecabinet member of culture, sport
and public health and then haddid a similar dance around being
(03:55):
the police and crimecommissioner.
When that opportunity came up,a couple of people said you
should go for this because ofthe work that you're doing, and
eventually I decided to.
And then I suppose standing tobe mayor was my my first very
intentional move, to think Ilove this place more than
anything, and my upbringing hasbeen, you know, really it's been
fundamental to my upbringing.
I don't think I could have donewhat I've done if I wasn't from
(04:18):
here, if I didn't care aboutthis place, and you know I
wanted to represent it.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
It's a proper DNA, isn't it?
It's like literally that wholestamp right in there.
You know made in the northeastmade in the northeast.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
I always, I always say it and it's so unbelievably
cheesy, like I'm really, Ireally love the northeast and
you know we talk about that andyou get a little bit of um, you
get a little bit of political um.
I suppose there's some peoplewho will politically use it and
say the word's a bit lightweight.
You know, just all of thisstuff about pride, what's the
rest?
Actually, that is a reallyimportant political statement
(04:54):
that pride in place and thepride in where you belong to,
and the pride in the people andto really deeply care about it.
And I always say this place isthe love of my life.
Sorry to my husband.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Oh, you had to add that in quick.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And the dogs?
Speaker 1 (05:08):
we'll get onto the dogs later you were the first
person in your extended familyto go to uni, weren't you?
And what was it about that thatmade you think?
Well, actually this is allabout.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
This is going to really motivate me to go on and
create opportunities it's reallyfunny because I kind of gave
you a quick canter through mycareer there, but a lot of the
work that I did was eitherdirectly or indirectly about
social mobility and about, youknow, taking working class kids
like me and making sure thatthey had the best possible
opportunities.
And actually I've been prettyhonest about the fact that
university for someone like meback then was quite hard, and I
(05:40):
am definitely a product of thatgovernment that said, 50% of
kids should go to university andwe should enable kids from
working class backgrounds to getinto the right place.
I'm really grateful for thatand that university education
has been amazing for me and someof the experiences that I had
around it, but it was reallyreally difficult at that time
(06:08):
around it.
But it was really reallydifficult at that time and for
me now our job is to make it sothat whatever choice you make
whether it is university orwhether it's an apprenticeship
or whether it's to go into a joband work your way up you
shouldn't feel uncomfortablebecause of your background and
actually all routes should beavailable to all people.
So I'm really grateful I hadthat chance, but I also don't
think that everybody should doit the way that.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I did it, and that's the whole thing.
There's not about copyingsomeone else's you do you right?
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah, absolutely you do, you, and I think it is
perfectly possible.
And you kind of see this acrossthe breadth now of the
political landscape and inreally senior professionals it
has become ever more possible tosucceed with a wide range of
backgrounds.
But there is still thosedivisions and they still exist,
and you know we've got to batterthem down at all costs, because
(06:53):
talent is really classless.
It's classless, it knows noplace.
You know you can be talentedwherever you are from in this
country, in the world, butopportunity isn't, and so that
is the bit that I think you knowwe have got to really go after
and attack and break down andbatter those barriers and really
make it so that everybody cansucceed regardless and I totally
(07:15):
agree with you that there's notopportunities for all and
that's the battle we've we'vegot to fix, isn't it, you know?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
but that the talent comment you made there is that
you know, talent is talent, butequally, for me, everyone is a
role model to someone you knowand I think if we role model
that you can, yeah, yeah, andthere is an opportunity, and
that's so important, the rolemodel, piece.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
I find it really uncut.
It's really funny because youintroduced me you said you
should role model.
I find that reallyuncomfortable because I just
think I'm just a normal personand, you know, actually think
that the thing that makes megood at what I do is that I'm a
normal person and I get it.
I know what it's like to behere, to grow up here.
I know what the day-to-dayexperience is like.
I understand the place and thefabric of it and the people and
(07:58):
you know I never want to losethat.
But if you ask me who my rolemodel is, it's my mum, which I
think is really really commonfor sort of working class women,
particularly northern women,because we've seen our mams cope
with unbelievable things.
You know.
We've seen them manage familiesthrough really difficult
economic circumstances.
We've seen them manage onpractically nothing.
(08:20):
We've seen them battle for usand really make the difference.
We've seen them be key and amassive part of their community
and actually none of thatidentity, none of those things
in my mind, has anything to dowith that, with her actual job
that she goes and does everysingle day, full time, and and I
think that's something that weas northern women really
(08:41):
identify with you can pick, youknow the world's greatest
business leaders and we've hadsome incredible people to look
up to and you know long may itcontinue.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
But you know, day to day it's been round and I think
if I asked nine out of tenpeople, I asked about who their
role model is.
It's their mum or theirgrandmother.
It's always that matriarchal,northern power, woman kind of
thing.
It's always that.
What was the biggest lessonthat you think you learned from
your, your mam?
Speaker 2 (09:07):
probably the resilience.
She is the most resilientperson that I know never a
crackle show, and there'selements of that.
You know where you think wemust be better at talking about
the things that we experience.
But as kids I know there weretimes when we had absolutely now
, in her words, we're on thebones of our arses, but we just
got by.
But that's what you'd say andwe never felt it, we never knew
(09:31):
about it.
And looking back now I know Ican see the things that, the
adjustments that were made andyou know they're going to Nana's
for tea and getting a bit ofhelp with school, with school
shoes and all that kind of stuff, and I can see the signs, but
we never felt it and there issomething about that
unbelievable resilience in theface of some really difficult
times that I think I've carriedinto my work in life and
(09:55):
inherited an element of it.
There is also a work ethic thatshe embodies.
And my nana you know youmentioned people it's either the
man or the nana.
My nana was the same in me.
Nana had five kids, two stepkids, a full-time job, a
disabled husband.
Honestly, the woman was anabsolute force and she was five
foot nothing.
If that actually yeah, yeahexactly, but the sort of true
(10:20):
northern power woman and thatresilience I think is built into
us and it gets us a long waythat great and resilient and you
talk very much around.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
We've talked about opportunity a lot already today
and you know, I always thinkevery time I read or I see you
or I hear you, it's you talkabout that.
That mission, that manifestowas about creating the northeast
as the home of opportunity.
But again the dna and you cutyou open as a stick of rock
Newcastle Rock, of course, orNorth East Rock right, yeah yeah
(10:50):
, but it's right, three greatcities in this country.
Yeah, but it's right in there,isn't it?
It's.
You know, it's not just words,it's deeds, not words.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
for you, it's a complete belief system and it's.
You know, it's not a politicalstatement.
It is the message, and it isthe message and it's the thing
that I want people to know usfor.
But it's also the driving thingthat is making our decisions
the way that we're making them.
It's about every kid,regardless of their background,
(11:23):
having access to the bestpossible opportunities and not
having to leave this great placeto get them.
If you want to leave, that'stotally fine.
You know, we want you to takeyour pride and your skills and
all of your northeast brillianceand show the world how
incredible we are.
That is amazing, but you shouldbe able to stay.
You should be able to do ithere, and we have the tools
(11:44):
available to us to make theright decisions so that you can
do that, because I do believe it.
I think there is nothing thatshould hold this place back.
It is incredible.
You said it yourself.
You're having a great time inthe north east, which I'm
delighted about, but we've goteverything.
We've got the most incrediblelandscape, coastline,
countryside, three amazingcities, we've got thriving
industries, we've got amazingpeople, and there's nothing that
(12:08):
should hold us back.
And I'm about to.
I want to make damn sure thatit isn't how bad and and we
talked just before we.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
We recorded, didn't we about?
You know we're, we're nottalked a lot of time, have we?
Six months barely since you'vebeen in decision you know I'm
looking like.
Oh my gosh, this has beenamazing 17 million pounds for
the, the rural coast the workthat you're doing around child
poverty and opportunities, again, the work around violence
against women and girls.
(12:34):
It's just, it's endless.
What are you most proud of sofar?
And it is so far.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I am proud of the pace with which we're going.
We have got no choice, you know.
So I will talk always witheternal optimism about the
opportunity of this place, butwe've got our challenges.
We do have the highest levelsof child poverty anywhere in the
country.
The North-South divide is stillvery real, the divides actually
in the region are still veryreal and we've got to work to
(13:02):
bust those, to fix them, tosolve those problems, and so I'm
really pleased that we'removing at pace, making the
decisions that we said we weregoing to make, starting the
(13:31):
process of bringing the busesback under public control.
I've launched a child povertyhas been announced um for for us
to tackle that um, that gapbetween work and health, to
support people with the barriersthat they face into work
because of their health, andthat's a.
You know that's devolved fromthe department of work and
pensions and you know wecontinue to invest in our major
growth sectors £140 million ofinvestment into start-ups and
(13:55):
scale-ups in the region so thatwe can really supercharge those
industries that mean a lot to us.
In green energy, in advancedmanufacturing.
We are bursting with talent andopportunity, and so now it's a
case of drawing it out.
So I don't think there's anyone thing that I'm proudest of.
The overarching aim is to giveeveryone opportunity to solve
(14:17):
that child poverty, to closethose gaps.
But I'm really pleased with theyou know, the fast paced start
that we're making and I thinkthe team, who have been
absolutely brilliant, that thepolitical team, who've been very
supportive, are getting that.
This is the pace for theforeseeable future, if not
forever.
We keep going.
Let's get on the train, isn'tit?
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Yeah, get on it yeah get on with it.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
We've got a job to do , let's do it.
I don't have time to waste, andthe people of the region
deserve that level of focus.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
And, whether we like it or not, region deserve that,
that level of focus, and,whether we like it a lot, there
is a gender imbalance inpolitics.
Yes, um, and it took Catherineto keep cajoling you, yeah, to
kind of lean in, uh and go, comeon, I'm gonna crack on and do
what.
What experience have you had?
Have you felt that experienceas a female politician?
Speaker 2 (15:06):
yeah, I mean yes we, we all have this there's I mean,
I'll talk about the, theexperience of doing it in a
minute but that imbalance.
We are making great inroads.
We really are.
50 of labour mps are women, butparliament still is not
representative.
We see it reflected in councilsacross the country.
(15:28):
As mayors, there are only threewomen who are mayors, although
there were three before myselfand claire ward were elected.
There was just one in tracybraben, who absolutely blazed
the trail there.
We've got to sort it and part ofthat is that conversation.
It's the, it's the ask her tostand, because the way that men
and women approach the world isoften different and women do
(15:52):
want to know that they can do ajob and so, having somebody say
you are brilliant, you can dothis, I never shy away from it
because I think it's reallyimportant.
However, I also do it with the,the knowledge that I have to be
honest about what theexperience is like, and it can
be really tough and you doexperience misogyny and you do
see online harassment.
(16:13):
You do sometimes see that moveinto real life and we have to be
really clear that it'scompletely not acceptable, that
we will call it out at all costs.
We'll call the men in to getthem to help us solve that
problem.
But we've got to be really clearthat it's not welcoming our
political rhetoric, and I thinkwe've seen some examples
(16:34):
recently of politics thatdivides people, and that's not
what it's about.
It's about bringing peopletogether to make real change.
We shouldn't be in the weeds ofthe culture wars, beating each
other up about who we are.
We should be out therecelebrating our diversity, out
there, celebrating theopportunities that we've got,
and unfortunately, too oftenwhat that leads to is a real
(16:57):
onslaught of abuse and anegativity that women definitely
experience more acutely thanmen, although I think it's
really clear that it's it's allpoliticians or public figures,
and it's now a reality of whatwe do.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
And if you were to speak across the road today?
We know there's 1,000 younggirls over at St James's Park
what would you say to them aboutthose curious and intrigued and
passionate and mini campaigners?
What would you you could givethem one word about this as well
why they should stand or usetheir voice for good.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I think there's a couple of things there's never.
Just one thing is there,because it's the obvious thing
is to say you absolutely can doit, regardless of your
background, regardless of all ofyour reservations.
You absolutely can.
If you want to do it, you can.
But also look to us and make usdo the things that you need us
(17:55):
to do so that you can do it.
I always say to young peoplewhole people like me to account
ask us, us, the questions, don'tbe frightened to do that,
because that is what we're for.
We represent you even just asmuch as we represent the next
person, and I think that that iscrucial.
Use your voice and make sure wedamn well hear it.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
And one thing I saw back in the in the autumn is you
got we talked about the mergangand you got the mergang to run
the Great North Rumble.
Oh my gosh, yes, the northerntalked about the mergang, um,
and you've got the mergang torun the great north run oh my
gosh.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yes, the northern.
So the northern mergang.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Yeah, the northern mergang but there seems to be
that real collaboration and abit of mischief, quite frankly,
but there seems to be a realwant to work together for the
greater good, absolutely.
And I get it that certain times, you know andy's gonna fight
over here or Tracey's going togo there, like, but that just
seems like that's the waypolitics should be, shouldn't it
(18:50):
that, yeah, that's for thegreater good yeah, absolutely,
and it's it's a bit of that it'sfor the greater good.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
It's about disrupting and changing the system and
making the system work forpeople that we represent.
So we believe fundamentally, asmayors, that more decisions
should be made closer to wherepeople live, that the people in
our regions should know thatthings are done differently
because they're in the NorthEast or because they're in
Greater Manchester or becausethey're in West Yorkshire,
(19:16):
because it's different therethan it is in Westminster, or
it's different there than it isin each of those component
places.
And so we're working with now,a government who gets this to
change that system and to saywhat more can we devolve, what
more decisions can we hand tothe people of our region?
And and have made closer sothat we can solve our own
(19:37):
problems.
And sometimes that might looklike mischief, but
unapologetically so, and we knowthat we are stronger together.
And so only this afternoon wewill meet as a group of mayors
together to talk about exactlythat agenda, and that is really
crucial to what we do.
Hunting is a pack, and that thentranscends not just the
(19:58):
politics but the ability to formour identities, and so the
Great North, I think, was reallyimportant to us as a set of
northern mayors.
It's a very symbolic brand.
It's very symbolic as anidentity for us as a region and
then again, as mayors, we havepower in numbers when it comes
to doing things like attractinginvestment and having those more
(20:20):
global conversations.
So, yeah, that that groupingtogether is absolutely crucial
to us and I'm I'm lucky to workwith such a dynamic group of
people because they are they'rebrilliant so your husband's
serving in the RAF?
Speaker 1 (20:35):
yes, now, I'm not a big fan of like work-life
balance and all that becauseit's clearly impossible.
But how do you?
How?
Speaker 2 (20:41):
do you get that harmony?
Oh gosh, it's, it's really hard, it's really hard, and we both
have careers that create aunique set of circumstances
around lifestyle where at timesyour time isn't your own and you
just have to go with it and wejust go with it.
And I think it's aboutsupporting each other.
(21:01):
Wherever I can, we'll go to theevents that we're invited to as
military spouses and supporthim wherever possible, and he's
been absolutely brilliant atcoming with me.
But one thing that I try reallyhard not to take for granted is
he can't do politics.
(21:22):
You know he's military, hecan't do politics.
You know he's military, can'tdo politics.
That is so good for us.
So it's so good for us becauseit really does stop the constant
creep of that into our everydaylives.
And you know, he, he by tradeskind of controls uh, by trade
controls fast jets.
(21:42):
But now he, he runs the the airsecurity part of the air
security for the uk andsometimes when we're having real
trivial um battles day to dayin in our work, I sort of go
home and talk to him and I think, yeah, what you're doing is
keeping us all safe and thinkeverything in perspective.
(22:03):
So we, we try our best and itcan be difficult to carve out
the space, but just, but we dosupport each other and he has
been unbelievably supportivedespite all of the um, I suppose
, pressures that come with beingactive military and having a
lot of responsibility.
And then once a year and itdoes happen once a year, and
(22:26):
it's remembrance sunday we go towork together and that's the
one day of the year that ourkind of your worlds and careers
collide and you mentioned, or Iread, that if you weren't in
politics, you would have lovedto have hosted a radio show.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah, who would be your dream line up on your, your
?
Whether it be, I don't know.
What would it be?
Would it be the politics show?
Would it be?
Would it be women's hour late.
What would it be?
Who?
Speaker 2 (22:50):
would be on it.
Do you know?
I think I probably answeredthat question.
Obviously you would be thankyou and I probably answered that
question.
Answered that question on alittle bit on the spot, because
podcasts where it's at now isn'tit.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Oh yeah, we are power podcasts.
Come on honestly.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
I think we've all got .
The other day everybody's got abook in them.
I'm not sure if I do, but Iprobably have a podcast in me.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
I think it'd be a box set as well.
It'd have to be a series,wouldn't it, you know?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
podcast?
I think there's.
I do think that bringing outnorthern women's voices is
really important, and at everylevel, because you, you have,
you have things where you yousee people filed under
influential or role model, aswe've just discussed.
Anybody can can be influentialand be a role model and there
are heroes in their day-to-daylives that we really should be
(23:35):
telling their stories.
So I think there's somethingabout that and hopefully, you
know, probably not via themedium of a radio show or a
podcast, but hopefully throughthe work that I do we'll be able
to highlight those experiencesthat people have every day in
our region and talk about howthey are the key to making this
place even better than italready is One of the things I
(23:58):
see often on social media.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
is you with the dogs?
Errol and Iris now, this is atough one.
Where's your favourite place towalk them?
It's like I mean, that's hard.
Where's your favorite place inthe northeast?
Speaker 2 (24:07):
so I'm gonna go with generic beach, so political it's
a little bit political it's nothonestly, it's not political,
because we are unbelievablyspoiled for choice.
If you go from the scottishborder all the way down our
coast into the southern bits ofDurham, the beaches, the
coastline is just unbelievable.
And there are places in thisregion where, if I sent you a
(24:29):
photograph and said, do you know, I'm in the Maldives, you
believe me, you would believe me.
It is beautiful.
We are so, so lucky and I'vegot two dogs, a Labrador and a
Spaniel.
Both of them love water, bothof them just love beach.
Dogs that, a labrador and aspaniel, both of them love water
, both of them just love beach.
And I always say that, um, youknow, if they were to to do a q
a, it'd be name arrow, iris,religion, ball home beach.
(24:52):
And honestly, they're justthey're.
They take you out of your ownhead and they get you out into
the countryside and they makeyou go out in the worst of all
weathers, because theyabsolutely need it and it's
really good for you and for you,isn't it?
Speaker 1 (25:07):
it's that whole mindful space.
Oh god, where's the ball,where's the dog?
Where's the blanket to wipethem before they get in the car?
Speaker 2 (25:14):
exactly, you know it's funny the day after I won
my police and crime commissionerrole, first of all in a
by-election and by-elections arebrutal.
They are really short, they arereally controlled you work
every hour that the world sendsyou and you just go for it for
five weeks.
And the day after I won thatby-election or it might have
(25:35):
been this it was either theSaturday or the Sunday, because
in fact the day after I did Idid Northern Pride, so it'll
have been the Sunday I went fora walk with my dog.
I it would have been the Sunday.
I went for a walk with my dogand he had Errol at the time.
I went for a walk with my dog onthe beach on my own, for
exactly that reason.
I just needed the headspace andI bumped into Chionwura, who is
our Newcastle Central MP, and Isaid oh my gosh, what are you
(25:57):
doing here?
And she said you know I'm notsurprised to find you here, she
said, because this is exactlythe thing I did the day after I
won my election.
So there's something sorestorative about getting out
there and enjoying all thatwe've got and you know that
outstanding beauty that we'vegot in the region better than
the.
Maldives, the northeast betterthan the Maldives fact.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Oh, kim, thank you so much for joining me today.
This is just episode one.
This is our part of our box.
Thank you so much for joiningme.
Thank you all for joining us.
We love having theseconversations talking to the
most amazing role models in andfrom the north of england,
celebrating sparkling,sprinkling some of that magic
(26:40):
dust.
Thank so much.
Please join us on all ourchannels.
No-transcript.
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power
podcast.
We are on tour in the Toon.
We are over in the northeast ofEngland and we are delighted to
be here.
We love it over here because itis jam jam packed with role
models and today I'm literallyjoined by the queen of the
northeast, kim mcginnis.
(00:31):
I've been a kid I'm literally agirl fan of for years and years
and equally, you have been suchan avid, avid, active,
intentional supporter ofnorthern power women awards and
we are power of the year, so I'mdelighted to welcome the very
first mayor of the North East,kim McGuinness.
Welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Oh, thank you.
What an intro, honestly, whatan intro.
Welcome to the North East,welcome to Newcastle.
We obviously are delighted tohave you here.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Oh, do you know what?
We love it, and we've broughtthe whole team on tour as well,
as we're hosting events galoreand getting chat into some of
the brilliant role models.
So talk to me about you know.
How is your upbringing shapesbecoming there?
How did you know it's not aseasy we always talk about.
There's never any one straightpathway.
How did you get from here tohere?
(01:17):
Do you know?
I've got no idea.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
I think really importantly, I must say that I
never had any intention of beinga politician and I still
sometimes struggle and peoplesay, well, what do you do I?
still sometimes think gosh, I'mthe mayor and you know I'm
actually a full time workingpolitician and I find that
really it's not.
It's not something that reallyis natural to me.
(01:41):
It was very accidental that Iended up here, but I'm from the
northeast, I'm from Newcastle,very working class background,
and my dad worked on theshipyards like a lot of people,
he was a scaffolder.
My mom worked in sort of parttime insecure jobs, like a lot
of women now, and you know I hada very happy childhood, which
you know.
There were definitely elementsof hardship but that definitely
(02:04):
drove my politics.
A unionised household that is inthe North East.
In the 80s and 90s it was aLabour house, although we
weren't necessarily verypolitical.
So I was the first in my familyto go to university.
I was very lucky I stayed inthe region to do that and then I
went into work, first of allfor HSBC.
(02:28):
I did a bit of banking and thenwent into a bit of recruitment
into the education sector,worked for students, students,
unions, doing employment,employability, and then kind of
back into the private sector andback to back to charities and I
was doing well.
I was perfectly happy in my, inmy job and career.
But I moved back to thenortheast, having lived away for
(02:49):
a while in 2013 and um.
At the time, I thought that thegovernment that we had, which
was the coalition government,was terrible.
I was seeing libraries andcommunity centers closed, which
was really difficult for a kidwho relied on those things
growing up, and so I got out anddid a bit of campaigning.
I'd always been a labor growingup, and so I got out and did a
bit of campaigning.
I'd always been a Labour memberbut hadn't done anything.
Got out and did a bit ofcampaigning and eventually
(03:11):
somebody said to me you shouldstand, stand for the council.
It was our MP at the time.
Well, she still is the MP.
Catherine McKinnell said youshould stand for the council and
I said I can't do that.
And I said I can't do that.
It's not for people like me.
You know, it's my image waspeople who were retired or
people with loads of experienceor or all of those, all of those
(03:33):
um stereotypes.
And she came back to me.
She said you know, you, youreally should.
And I said no, I know, maybeit's another time.
And then eventually, on thethird time of asking, she said
we really need you to stand forthe council, and so that's kind
of it.
The rest is history.
I did it, loved it.
Um ran part of the city as thecabinet member of culture, sport
and public health and then haddid a similar dance around being
(03:55):
the police and crimecommissioner.
When that opportunity came up,a couple of people said you
should go for this because ofthe work that you're doing, and
eventually I decided to.
And then I suppose standing tobe mayor was my my first very
intentional move, to think Ilove this place more than
anything, and my upbringing hasbeen, you know, really it's been
fundamental to my upbringing.
I don't think I could have donewhat I've done if I wasn't from
(04:18):
here, if I didn't care aboutthis place, and you know I
wanted to represent it.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
It's a proper DNA, isn't it?
It's like literally that wholestamp right in there.
You know made in the northeastmade in the northeast.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
I always, I always say it and it's so unbelievably
cheesy, like I'm really, Ireally love the northeast and
you know we talk about that andyou get a little bit of um, you
get a little bit of political um.
I suppose there's some peoplewho will politically use it and
say the word's a bit lightweight.
You know, just all of thisstuff about pride, what's the
rest?
Actually, that is a reallyimportant political statement
(04:54):
that pride in place and thepride in where you belong to,
and the pride in the people andto really deeply care about it.
And I always say this place isthe love of my life.
Sorry to my husband.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Oh, you had to add that in quick.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And the dogs?
Speaker 1 (05:08):
we'll get onto the dogs later you were the first
person in your extended familyto go to uni, weren't you?
And what was it about that thatmade you think?
Well, actually this is allabout.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
This is going to really motivate me to go on and
create opportunities it's reallyfunny because I kind of gave
you a quick canter through mycareer there, but a lot of the
work that I did was eitherdirectly or indirectly about
social mobility and about, youknow, taking working class kids
like me and making sure thatthey had the best possible
opportunities.
And actually I've been prettyhonest about the fact that
university for someone like meback then was quite hard, and I
(05:40):
am definitely a product of thatgovernment that said, 50% of
kids should go to university andwe should enable kids from
working class backgrounds to getinto the right place.
I'm really grateful for thatand that university education
has been amazing for me and someof the experiences that I had
around it, but it was reallyreally difficult at that time
(06:08):
around it.
But it was really reallydifficult at that time and for
me now our job is to make it sothat whatever choice you make
whether it is university orwhether it's an apprenticeship
or whether it's to go into a joband work your way up you
shouldn't feel uncomfortablebecause of your background and
actually all routes should beavailable to all people.
So I'm really grateful I hadthat chance, but I also don't
think that everybody should doit the way that.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I did it, and that's the whole thing.
There's not about copyingsomeone else's you do you right?
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah, absolutely you do, you, and I think it is
perfectly possible.
And you kind of see this acrossthe breadth now of the
political landscape and inreally senior professionals it
has become ever more possible tosucceed with a wide range of
backgrounds.
But there is still thosedivisions and they still exist,
and you know we've got to batterthem down at all costs, because
(06:53):
talent is really classless.
It's classless, it knows noplace.
You know you can be talentedwherever you are from in this
country, in the world, butopportunity isn't, and so that
is the bit that I think you knowwe have got to really go after
and attack and break down andbatter those barriers and really
make it so that everybody cansucceed regardless and I totally
(07:15):
agree with you that there's notopportunities for all and
that's the battle we've we'vegot to fix, isn't it, you know?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
but that the talent comment you made there is that
you know, talent is talent, butequally, for me, everyone is a
role model to someone you knowand I think if we role model
that you can, yeah, yeah, andthere is an opportunity, and
that's so important, the rolemodel, piece.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
I find it really uncut.
It's really funny because youintroduced me you said you
should role model.
I find that reallyuncomfortable because I just
think I'm just a normal personand, you know, actually think
that the thing that makes megood at what I do is that I'm a
normal person and I get it.
I know what it's like to behere, to grow up here.
I know what the day-to-dayexperience is like.
I understand the place and thefabric of it and the people and
(07:58):
you know I never want to losethat.
But if you ask me who my rolemodel is, it's my mum, which I
think is really really commonfor sort of working class women,
particularly northern women,because we've seen our mams cope
with unbelievable things.
You know.
We've seen them manage familiesthrough really difficult
economic circumstances.
We've seen them manage onpractically nothing.
(08:20):
We've seen them battle for usand really make the difference.
We've seen them be key and amassive part of their community
and actually none of thatidentity, none of those things
in my mind, has anything to dowith that, with her actual job
that she goes and does everysingle day, full time, and and I
think that's something that weas northern women really
(08:41):
identify with you can pick, youknow the world's greatest
business leaders and we've hadsome incredible people to look
up to and you know long may itcontinue.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
But you know, day to day it's been round and I think
if I asked nine out of tenpeople, I asked about who their
role model is.
It's their mum or theirgrandmother.
It's always that matriarchal,northern power, woman kind of
thing.
It's always that.
What was the biggest lessonthat you think you learned from
your, your mam?
Speaker 2 (09:07):
probably the resilience.
She is the most resilientperson that I know never a
crackle show, and there'selements of that.
You know where you think wemust be better at talking about
the things that we experience.
But as kids I know there weretimes when we had absolutely now
, in her words, we're on thebones of our arses, but we just
got by.
But that's what you'd say andwe never felt it, we never knew
(09:31):
about it.
And looking back now I know Ican see the things that, the
adjustments that were made andyou know they're going to Nana's
for tea and getting a bit ofhelp with school, with school
shoes and all that kind of stuff, and I can see the signs, but
we never felt it and there issomething about that
unbelievable resilience in theface of some really difficult
times that I think I've carriedinto my work in life and
(09:55):
inherited an element of it.
There is also a work ethic thatshe embodies.
And my nana you know youmentioned people it's either the
man or the nana.
My nana was the same in me.
Nana had five kids, two stepkids, a full-time job, a
disabled husband.
Honestly, the woman was anabsolute force and she was five
foot nothing.
If that actually yeah, yeahexactly, but the sort of true
(10:20):
northern power woman and thatresilience I think is built into
us and it gets us a long waythat great and resilient and you
talk very much around.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
We've talked about opportunity a lot already today
and you know, I always thinkevery time I read or I see you
or I hear you, it's you talkabout that.
That mission, that manifestowas about creating the northeast
as the home of opportunity.
But again the dna and you cutyou open as a stick of rock
Newcastle Rock, of course, orNorth East Rock right, yeah yeah
(10:50):
, but it's right, three greatcities in this country.
Yeah, but it's right in there,isn't it?
It's.
You know, it's not just words,it's deeds, not words.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
for you, it's a complete belief system and it's.
You know, it's not a politicalstatement.
It is the message, and it isthe message and it's the thing
that I want people to know usfor.
But it's also the driving thingthat is making our decisions
the way that we're making them.
It's about every kid,regardless of their background,
(11:23):
having access to the bestpossible opportunities and not
having to leave this great placeto get them.
If you want to leave, that'stotally fine.
You know, we want you to takeyour pride and your skills and
all of your northeast brillianceand show the world how
incredible we are.
That is amazing, but you shouldbe able to stay.
You should be able to do ithere, and we have the tools
(11:44):
available to us to make theright decisions so that you can
do that, because I do believe it.
I think there is nothing thatshould hold this place back.
It is incredible.
You said it yourself.
You're having a great time inthe north east, which I'm
delighted about, but we've goteverything.
We've got the most incrediblelandscape, coastline,
countryside, three amazingcities, we've got thriving
industries, we've got amazingpeople, and there's nothing that
(12:08):
should hold us back.
And I'm about to.
I want to make damn sure thatit isn't how bad and and we
talked just before we.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
We recorded, didn't we about?
You know we're, we're nottalked a lot of time, have we?
Six months barely since you'vebeen in decision you know I'm
looking like.
Oh my gosh, this has beenamazing 17 million pounds for
the, the rural coast the workthat you're doing around child
poverty and opportunities, again, the work around violence
against women and girls.
(12:34):
It's just, it's endless.
What are you most proud of sofar?
And it is so far.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
I am proud of the pace with which we're going.
We have got no choice, you know.
So I will talk always witheternal optimism about the
opportunity of this place, butwe've got our challenges.
We do have the highest levelsof child poverty anywhere in the
country.
The North-South divide is stillvery real, the divides actually
in the region are still veryreal and we've got to work to
(13:02):
bust those, to fix them, tosolve those problems, and so I'm
really pleased that we'removing at pace, making the
decisions that we said we weregoing to make, starting the
(13:31):
process of bringing the busesback under public control.
I've launched a child povertyhas been announced um for for us
to tackle that um, that gapbetween work and health, to
support people with the barriersthat they face into work
because of their health, andthat's a.
You know that's devolved fromthe department of work and
pensions and you know wecontinue to invest in our major
growth sectors £140 million ofinvestment into start-ups and
(13:55):
scale-ups in the region so thatwe can really supercharge those
industries that mean a lot to us.
In green energy, in advancedmanufacturing.
We are bursting with talent andopportunity, and so now it's a
case of drawing it out.
So I don't think there's anyone thing that I'm proudest of.
The overarching aim is to giveeveryone opportunity to solve
(14:17):
that child poverty, to closethose gaps.
But I'm really pleased with theyou know, the fast paced start
that we're making and I thinkthe team, who have been
absolutely brilliant, that thepolitical team, who've been very
supportive, are getting that.
This is the pace for theforeseeable future, if not
forever.
We keep going.
Let's get on the train, isn'tit?
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Yeah, get on it yeah get on with it.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
We've got a job to do , let's do it.
I don't have time to waste, andthe people of the region
deserve that level of focus.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
And, whether we like it or not, region deserve that,
that level of focus, and,whether we like it a lot, there
is a gender imbalance inpolitics.
Yes, um, and it took Catherineto keep cajoling you, yeah, to
kind of lean in, uh and go, comeon, I'm gonna crack on and do
what.
What experience have you had?
Have you felt that experienceas a female politician?
Speaker 2 (15:06):
yeah, I mean yes we, we all have this there's I mean,
I'll talk about the, theexperience of doing it in a
minute but that imbalance.
We are making great inroads.
We really are.
50 of labour mps are women, butparliament still is not
representative.
We see it reflected in councilsacross the country.
(15:28):
As mayors, there are only threewomen who are mayors, although
there were three before myselfand claire ward were elected.
There was just one in tracybraben, who absolutely blazed
the trail there.
We've got to sort it and part ofthat is that conversation.
It's the, it's the ask her tostand, because the way that men
and women approach the world isoften different and women do
(15:52):
want to know that they can do ajob and so, having somebody say
you are brilliant, you can dothis, I never shy away from it
because I think it's reallyimportant.
However, I also do it with the,the knowledge that I have to be
honest about what theexperience is like, and it can
be really tough and you doexperience misogyny and you do
see online harassment.
(16:13):
You do sometimes see that moveinto real life and we have to be
really clear that it'scompletely not acceptable, that
we will call it out at all costs.
We'll call the men in to getthem to help us solve that
problem.
But we've got to be really clearthat it's not welcoming our
political rhetoric, and I thinkwe've seen some examples
(16:34):
recently of politics thatdivides people, and that's not
what it's about.
It's about bringing peopletogether to make real change.
We shouldn't be in the weeds ofthe culture wars, beating each
other up about who we are.
We should be out therecelebrating our diversity, out
there, celebrating theopportunities that we've got,
and unfortunately, too oftenwhat that leads to is a real
(16:57):
onslaught of abuse and anegativity that women definitely
experience more acutely thanmen, although I think it's
really clear that it's it's allpoliticians or public figures,
and it's now a reality of whatwe do.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
And if you were to speak across the road today?
We know there's 1,000 younggirls over at St James's Park
what would you say to them aboutthose curious and intrigued and
passionate and mini campaigners?
What would you you could givethem one word about this as well
why they should stand or usetheir voice for good.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
I think there's a couple of things there's never.
Just one thing is there,because it's the obvious thing
is to say you absolutely can doit, regardless of your
background, regardless of all ofyour reservations.
You absolutely can.
If you want to do it, you can.
But also look to us and make usdo the things that you need us
(17:55):
to do so that you can do it.
I always say to young peoplewhole people like me to account
ask us, us, the questions, don'tbe frightened to do that,
because that is what we're for.
We represent you even just asmuch as we represent the next
person, and I think that that iscrucial.
Use your voice and make sure wedamn well hear it.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
And one thing I saw back in the in the autumn is you
got we talked about the mergangand you got the mergang to run
the Great North Rumble.
Oh my gosh, yes, the northerntalked about the mergang, um,
and you've got the mergang torun the great north run oh my
gosh.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yes, the northern.
So the northern mergang.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Yeah, the northern mergang but there seems to be
that real collaboration and abit of mischief, quite frankly,
but there seems to be a realwant to work together for the
greater good, absolutely.
And I get it that certain times, you know andy's gonna fight
over here or Tracey's going togo there, like, but that just
seems like that's the waypolitics should be, shouldn't it
(18:50):
that, yeah, that's for thegreater good yeah, absolutely,
and it's it's a bit of that it'sfor the greater good.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
It's about disrupting and changing the system and
making the system work forpeople that we represent.
So we believe fundamentally, asmayors, that more decisions
should be made closer to wherepeople live, that the people in
our regions should know thatthings are done differently
because they're in the NorthEast or because they're in
Greater Manchester or becausethey're in West Yorkshire,
(19:16):
because it's different therethan it is in Westminster, or
it's different there than it isin each of those component
places.
And so we're working with now,a government who gets this to
change that system and to saywhat more can we devolve, what
more decisions can we hand tothe people of our region?
And and have made closer sothat we can solve our own
(19:37):
problems.
And sometimes that might looklike mischief, but
unapologetically so, and we knowthat we are stronger together.
And so only this afternoon wewill meet as a group of mayors
together to talk about exactlythat agenda, and that is really
crucial to what we do.
Hunting is a pack, and that thentranscends not just the
(19:58):
politics but the ability to formour identities, and so the
Great North, I think, was reallyimportant to us as a set of
northern mayors.
It's a very symbolic brand.
It's very symbolic as anidentity for us as a region and
then again, as mayors, we havepower in numbers when it comes
to doing things like attractinginvestment and having those more
(20:20):
global conversations.
So, yeah, that that groupingtogether is absolutely crucial
to us and I'm I'm lucky to workwith such a dynamic group of
people because they are they'rebrilliant so your husband's
serving in the RAF?
Speaker 1 (20:35):
yes, now, I'm not a big fan of like work-life
balance and all that becauseit's clearly impossible.
But how do you?
How?
Speaker 2 (20:41):
do you get that harmony?
Oh gosh, it's, it's really hard, it's really hard, and we both
have careers that create aunique set of circumstances
around lifestyle where at timesyour time isn't your own and you
just have to go with it and wejust go with it.
And I think it's aboutsupporting each other.
(21:01):
Wherever I can, we'll go to theevents that we're invited to as
military spouses and supporthim wherever possible, and he's
been absolutely brilliant atcoming with me.
But one thing that I try reallyhard not to take for granted is
he can't do politics.
(21:22):
You know he's military, hecan't do politics.
You know he's military, can'tdo politics.
That is so good for us.
So it's so good for us becauseit really does stop the constant
creep of that into our everydaylives.
And you know, he, he by tradeskind of controls uh, by trade
controls fast jets.
(21:42):
But now he, he runs the the airsecurity part of the air
security for the uk andsometimes when we're having real
trivial um battles day to dayin in our work, I sort of go
home and talk to him and I think, yeah, what you're doing is
keeping us all safe and thinkeverything in perspective.
(22:03):
So we, we try our best and itcan be difficult to carve out
the space, but just, but we dosupport each other and he has
been unbelievably supportivedespite all of the um, I suppose
, pressures that come with beingactive military and having a
lot of responsibility.
And then once a year and itdoes happen once a year, and
(22:26):
it's remembrance sunday we go towork together and that's the
one day of the year that ourkind of your worlds and careers
collide and you mentioned, or Iread, that if you weren't in
politics, you would have lovedto have hosted a radio show.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Yeah, who would be your dream line up on your, your
?
Whether it be, I don't know.
What would it be?
Would it be the politics show?
Would it be?
Would it be women's hour late.
What would it be?
Who?
Speaker 2 (22:50):
would be on it.
Do you know?
I think I probably answeredthat question.
Obviously you would be thankyou and I probably answered that
question.
Answered that question on alittle bit on the spot, because
podcasts where it's at now isn'tit.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Oh yeah, we are power podcasts.
Come on honestly.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
I think we've all got .
The other day everybody's got abook in them.
I'm not sure if I do, but Iprobably have a podcast in me.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
I think it'd be a box set as well.
It'd have to be a series,wouldn't it, you know?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
podcast?
I think there's.
I do think that bringing outnorthern women's voices is
really important, and at everylevel, because you, you have,
you have things where you yousee people filed under
influential or role model, aswe've just discussed.
Anybody can can be influentialand be a role model and there
are heroes in their day-to-daylives that we really should be
(23:35):
telling their stories.
So I think there's somethingabout that and hopefully, you
know, probably not via themedium of a radio show or a
podcast, but hopefully throughthe work that I do we'll be able
to highlight those experiencesthat people have every day in
our region and talk about howthey are the key to making this
place even better than italready is One of the things I
(23:58):
see often on social media.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
is you with the dogs?
Errol and Iris now, this is atough one.
Where's your favourite place towalk them?
It's like I mean, that's hard.
Where's your favorite place inthe northeast?
Speaker 2 (24:07):
so I'm gonna go with generic beach, so political it's
a little bit political it's nothonestly, it's not political,
because we are unbelievablyspoiled for choice.
If you go from the scottishborder all the way down our
coast into the southern bits ofDurham, the beaches, the
coastline is just unbelievable.
And there are places in thisregion where, if I sent you a
(24:29):
photograph and said, do you know, I'm in the Maldives, you
believe me, you would believe me.
It is beautiful.
We are so, so lucky and I'vegot two dogs, a Labrador and a
Spaniel.
Both of them love water, bothof them just love beach.
Dogs that, a labrador and aspaniel, both of them love water
, both of them just love beach.
And I always say that, um, youknow, if they were to to do a q
a, it'd be name arrow, iris,religion, ball home beach.
(24:52):
And honestly, they're justthey're.
They take you out of your ownhead and they get you out into
the countryside and they makeyou go out in the worst of all
weathers, because theyabsolutely need it and it's
really good for you and for you,isn't it?
Speaker 1 (25:07):
it's that whole mindful space.
Oh god, where's the ball,where's the dog?
Where's the blanket to wipethem before they get in the car?
Speaker 2 (25:14):
exactly, you know it's funny the day after I won
my police and crime commissionerrole, first of all in a
by-election and by-elections arebrutal.
They are really short, they arereally controlled you work
every hour that the world sendsyou and you just go for it for
five weeks.
And the day after I won thatby-election or it might have
(25:35):
been this it was either theSaturday or the Sunday, because
in fact the day after I did Idid Northern Pride, so it'll
have been the Sunday I went fora walk with my dog.
I it would have been the Sunday.
I went for a walk with my dogand he had Errol at the time.
I went for a walk with my dog onthe beach on my own, for
exactly that reason.
I just needed the headspace andI bumped into Chionwura, who is
our Newcastle Central MP, and Isaid oh my gosh, what are you
(25:57):
doing here?
And she said you know I'm notsurprised to find you here, she
said, because this is exactlythe thing I did the day after I
won my election.
So there's something sorestorative about getting out
there and enjoying all thatwe've got and you know that
outstanding beauty that we'vegot in the region better than
the.
Maldives, the northeast betterthan the Maldives fact.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Oh, kim, thank you so much for joining me today.
This is just episode one.
This is our part of our box.
Thank you so much for joiningme.
Thank you all for joining us.
We love having theseconversations talking to the
most amazing role models in andfrom the north of england,
celebrating sparkling,sprinkling some of that magic
(26:40):
dust.
Thank so much.
Please join us on all ourchannels.
No-transcript.
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