Podcast
The Green Edge Podcast
Hosted by Fraser Harper and Michael Cross · EN
The Green Edge Podcast, a series of weekly updates and occasional special audio posts from our work here at The Green Edge.
greenedge.substack.com
greenedge.substack.com
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Green Edge Podcast: Update 26-Jun-26 (39m:12s)
1w ago00:39:12Tap to summarizeIn April 2025, we devoted a full episode of The Green Edge Podcast to Andy Burnham’s Institute for Government speech on English devolution, place-based growth and the five foundations of life: shelter, safety, mobility, opportunity and support. At the time, Burnham was speaking as Mayor of Greater Manchester, arguing that the mayoral combined authority model could unlock a more coherent, preventative and financially sustainable state.This new episode returns to that same speech — using exactly the same Burnham excerpts — but listens to them through a different political lens. If – as increasingly seems likely – Andy Burnham becomes Prime Minister, what will he actually do with the ideas he set out in 2025? Would “place first” remain a governing principle once the levers of Whitehall are in his hands? Will he devolve power over skills, transport, housing and employment support as boldly as he asked others to do? And how could voters, employers, educators and local leaders hold his feet to the fire?In this episode, we revisit Burnham’s central argument: that growth cannot be commanded from departmental silos, but has to be built through places — by joining up housing, transport, education, public services and jobs. We ask whether this is simply a strong mayoral pitch, or the outline of a national governing philosophy.The episode gives particular attention to skills. Burnham’s critique of the English education system is that it has been built around the minority of young people who follow the academic, university route, while the majority need a parallel technical pathway with equal status. His answer in Greater Manchester has been the MBacc: an employer-led alternative to the EBacc, structured around seven gateways into local priority sectors and intended to give young people a clear line of sight from school to good work.We explore whether this could become a national skills settlement: devolved technical education, stronger careers infrastructure, guaranteed high-quality work placements, better alignment between colleges and employers, and a more serious response to the rising number of young people not in education, employment or training. We also ask what role — if any — Skills England should play in such a system, and whether the Centre should set standards while places shape delivery.The episode’s central challenge is simple: Burnham has talked powerfully about place, prevention and opportunity. But if now moves from Manchester to Downing Street, will he still believe that Whitehall should let go? And what practical tests should be set now — on MBacc, T Levels, apprenticeships, adult education, transport access and NEET reduction — to judge whether the rhetoric has become delivery?This is not a prediction of a Burnham premiership. It is a Green Edge stress test of a political idea: if place is the answer, what will national government have to stop doing, start doing, and give away? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Update 19/06/26 (18m:34s)
2w ago00:18:35Tap to summarizeA load of rubbish being written and talked about here this week. Plus a preamble on Enginuity’s forthcoming SME Snapshot Survey — more about that next week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Editor's Pick 05-Jun-26 (22m:19s)
4w ago00:22:19Tap to summarizeIn our Editor’s pick from the May Digest, we’re talking about food (perhaps no so) glorious food. See also this month’s Top Read post. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Third Thursday 21/05/26 (24m:54s)
May 2100:24:54Tap to summarizeWith 50% of small businesses suffering a cyber incident every year, cybersecurity is irrevobally bound up in any consideration of supply chain resilience. Discuss. We do, of course. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Update 08/05/26 (17m:35s)
May 800:17:36Tap to summarizeOur Editor’s Pick this month finds a few odd couplings that didn’t make our Top Read but are still worth a ruminate over. See the rest of our top reads—and our reviews of the rest of the crop—in this month’s Green Edge Digest. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Third Thursday 16/04/26 (19m:28s)
Apr 1600:19:28Tap to summarizeA special Third Thursday episode to talk about our work going in to the next iteration of Enginuity’s Future Skills Hub. With our guest Ellie Wallace of Enginuity. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Update 03-Apr-26 (19m:54s)
Apr 300:19:54Tap to summarizeEditor’s pick from the March Digest this week, to go alongside this month’s Top Read post. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Update 20/03/26 (17m:02s)
Mar 2000:17:03Tap to summarizeA sideways chat around our Third Thursday post this week. Plus a quick look at AoC’s Green Skills Conference and the potential for astrotourism. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Update 06/03/26 (21m:46s)
Mar 600:21:47Tap to summarizeIt’s a foodie episode this week, with three Editor’s Picks from this week’s additions to the Green Edge Digest. Read our post on this month’s Top Read here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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The Green Edge Podcast: Update 20/02/26 (16m:39s)
Feb 2000:16:40Tap to summarizeBack from travels and back in the saddle, with a few thoughts on what it takes to move from situational awareness to industrial readiness. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greenedge.substack.com/subscribe
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