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LED Confidential

LED Confidential
Local Economic Development
Devolution
Placemaking
Fiscal Devolution
Economic Development
Local Elections
Reform Party
UK Government
Sustainable Development Goals
Mayoral Combined Authorities
Economic Inactivity
Pride In Place
UK National Infrastructure Strategy
NHS 10-Year Plan
Local Government Financial Crisis
Health Inequalities
Innovation Districts
Poverty
London
Total Place

Podcast about local economic development and placemaking. Co-hosted by Mike Spicer of PolicyDepartment and David Marlow of Third Life Economics. Mike, David and guests address the divisive, often unspoken issues facing economic development professionals in 2020s Britain. Website: www.ledconfidential.co.uk

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes132Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Government

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Latest Episodes

In this Espresso Shot episode, David and Mike explore whether Mayoral Strategic Authorities can genuinely deliver whole-geography growth or whether the devolution model is structurally biased toward cities and large urban projects. They examine the g... more

In this guest episode, David and Mike are joined by Dr Adrian Johnston MBE, Innovation Commissioner for Innovation City Belfast, to explore whether inclusive innovation can be measured in practice. Adrian explains how Innovation City Belfast, a partn... more

In this Espresso Shot, David and Mike unpack the UK Government's new capital risk framework for local authorities — a consultation launched on 28 May 2026 proposing powers to monitor debt, investment, and revenue sustainability across every council, ... more

In this Espresso Shot episode, David and Mike unpack Alan Milburn's interim review findings into young people and work — a diagnosis that names nearly 1 million 16–24 year-olds as not in employment, education or training ("NEET"), at an estimated eco... more

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Recent Guests

Glenn Athey
Industry veteran, founder of My Local Economy and Economic Development World Digital Platform
My Local Economy
Episode: Tooling up the profession: what local economic development practitioners need now
Claire Ward
Mayor of East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCA)
East Midlands Combined County Authority
Episode: Building the plane while flying it: East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward on making devolution deliver
Liz McAreavey
Chief Executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce
Episode: Team Edinburgh: the growing role of business leadership in shaping modern local economic development
Peter Hetherington
Journalist and advocate on regional affairs; Northern and Regional Affairs Editor for The Guardian; former chair and vice president of the Town and Country Planning Association
The Guardian (journalist)
Episode: From rhetoric to regeneration: rebuilding England’s regional policy
Sarah Murray
Chief Executive Officer of the Forth Green Freeport
Forth Green Freeport
Episode: Inclusive growth meets global trade: inside Scotland's Green Freeport model
Dr. Michael Glass
Global researcher on city, region, governance, and infrastructure
University of Pittsburgh
Episode: Innovation Districts 2.0: making growth inclusive
Alex Plant
Chief Executive of Scottish Water
Scottish Water
Episode: Liquid assets: rethinking water’s role in economic development and placemaking
John Denham
Former Southampton Labour MP and government minister, currently a Professorial Research Fellow and Director of the Centre for English Identity and Politics.
University of Southampton
Episode: Total Place 2.0 and the politics of belonging
Paul Swinney
Director of Policy and Research at Centre for Cities
Centre for Cities
Episode: Place before sectors? Rethinking UK industrial strategy with Paul Swinney

Hosts

Mike Spicer
Host of LED Confidential; appears as a co-host across episodes; affiliated with PolicyDepartment
David Marlow
Co-host of LED Confidential; discusses local economic development and placemaking in Britain; affiliated with Third Life Economics

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#157
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#27
Saudi Arabia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#84
Austria/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Inclusive growth meets global trade: inside Scotland's Green Freeport model
Q: What are the key challenges and opportunities for the Forth Green Freeport as it enters operational mode?
Key challenges include securing sufficient power for investments, while opportunities lie in regional economic regeneration and leveraging government support.
Liquid assets: rethinking water’s role in economic development and placemaking
Q: What are the opportunities for the water industry in light of upcoming infrastructure investments?
There is potential for innovative approaches like nature-based solutions and a shift to collaborative planning that could unlock broader economic, social, and environmental benefits.
Liquid assets: rethinking water’s role in economic development and placemaking
Q: How can local and regional leadership teams secure water utilities' contributions to economic goals?
Decision makers need to collaboratively align water utility planning with local development initiatives and actively engage water companies in these discussions.
Reorganising Local Government in England: 17 proposals, 56 councils -zero consensus?
Q: Do we know when the government is expected to signal its preferences for its favoured proposal within each area?
There is speculation that the government may announce preferences around the budget, but clarity is needed before the next proposals due at the end of November.
Total Place 2.0 and the politics of belonging
Q: How do we actually set about doing that?
Denham emphasizes the need to involve the community in discussions about local problems, advocating a more engaged and participatory approach to governance.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About LED Confidential

What is LED Confidential about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on local economic development and placemaking in Britain, tackling how policy, governance, and place-based strategies shape local outcomes. Across episodes, topics repeatedly surface around devolution, mayoral powers, combined authorities, and funding mechanisms, with frequent attention to the practicalities of delivering plans in tight budgets and complex political environments. Conversations often explore how health, education, energy, and housing intersect with LED, alongside emerging tech like AI and data centers, and the evolving role of communities and anchor institutions in delivering visible local improvements. A noteworthy trait is the interviewer duo's willingness to translate high-level policy shifts into concre... more

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Which podcasts are similar to LED Confidential?

These podcasts share a similar audience with LED Confidential:

1. Centre for Cities
2. Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government
3. IFS Zooms In: The Economy
4. Political Currency
5. Radical

How many episodes of LED Confidential are there?

LED Confidential launched 4 years ago and published 132 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact LED Confidential?

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What guests have appeared on LED Confidential?

Recent guests on LED Confidential include:

1. Glenn Athey
2. Claire Ward
3. Liz McAreavey
4. Peter Hetherington
5. Sarah Murray
6. Dr. Michael Glass
7. Alex Plant
8. John Denham

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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