Claim OwnershipBest of the Spectator
Subscribed: 6,742Played: 672,562
Subscribe
© 343517
Description
Home to the Spectator's best podcasts on everything from politics to religion, literature to food and drink, and more. A new podcast every day from writers worth listening to.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2517 Episodes
Reverse
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Sean Thomas explains how an AI-generated goth girl became a nationalist icon; Mary Killen argues we should all regret the loss of the landline; Owen Matthews says that banning Russian art only weakens Ukraine; and finally, Patrick Kidd makes the case for letting children experience alcohol. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When Andy Burnham put forward his bid to stand in the Gorton & Denton by-election, the bond markets wobbled. What does this say about the state of Labour and their reputation with the markets? Michael Simmons speaks to former Treasury and Downing Street advisor James Nation about Labour leaders and fiscal policy, why Rishi Sunak was right on inflation and what he has learnt in the private sector since leaving the Treasury.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As Keir Starmer's visit to China draws to a close, Sam Olsen – who runs the States of Play substack – and Times columnist Cindy Yu join Patrick Gibbons to discuss how the UK should manage its relationship with China. Starmer's visit has drawn criticism from various China hawks – and from President Trump – but is there a way for the UK to balance legitimate security concerns with the need to trade with the world's second largest economic power? Plus, to what extent to the British public care about these geopolitical concerns? Cindy and Sam explain why is it important for policymakers to explain how these trips link back to domestic issues – and Cindy name checks James Cleverly as she highlights the importance of consistency amongst the political class.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Who really runs Britain: the government, foreign courts or international lawyers? This question is at the heart of Michael Gove’s cover piece for the Spectator this week, analysing the role of those at the centre of Labour’s foreign policy. Attorney general Lord Hermer, national security adviser Jonathan Powell and internationally renowned barrister Philippe Sands may seek to uphold international law but is this approach outdated as we enter an era of hard power? For Gove, they are the three ‘guilty men’ who are undermining Britain’s national interest at the expense of a liberal international law that never really existed. For this week’s Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by deputy editor Freddy Gray, columnist Douglas Murray and editor of the Spectator’s Life section Arabella Byrne. The also discuss: whether Labour’s reset can really work ahead of next month’s by-election; how taking in so many disaffected Tories could backfire for Reform; why people care more about ICE in America than Iran – and if this proof that society has become conditioned; whether we should bemoan the demise of the landline; and finally, how parents should approach the issue of their children drinking.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Is centrism back? This week a group of former Tory heavyweights – including Ruth Davidson, Andy Street, Amber Rudd and David Gauke – have launched a new group aimed at reclaiming the centre ground and dispelling the myth that politics in 2026 is a straight shooting match between increasingly diffuse left/right poles. They say that there are seven million voters in the centre who feel ‘politically homeless’ and are looking for serious people to have serious conversations, rather than rabble-rousers with strong rhetoric. Are they totally misunderstanding the direction of modern politics? And should they all just join the Lib Dems?Tim Shipman speaks to David Gauke, former justice secretary and vice-chair of Prosper UK.Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To hear this week's podcast in full, search 'Quite right!' wherever you are listening now. This week: Michael and Maddie ask whether Keir Starmer’s grip on the Labour party is beginning to slip. After the party machine moved to block Andy Burnham from returning to Westminster, is Starmer governing from a position of strength – or fear? Does the decision expose a deeper crisis of authority at the top of the Labour party, and are we entering the early stages of a succession battle over who comes next?Then: Suella Braverman’s long-anticipated defection to Reform UK. Was her exit inevitable, and what does it mean for the balance of forces on the right? As Reform continues to lure Conservative figures across, is it consolidating as a serious insurgent party – or accelerating a destructive fragmentation that could leave the Conservative party locked out of power for a generation?Produced by Oscar Edmondson.To submit your urgent questions to Michael and Maddie, visit spectator.co.uk/quiteright.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Gavin Mortimer reports on the battle between the EU and farmers; John Campbell explains Lord Haldane’s significance to politics today; reviewing Polar War by Kenneth R, Rosen, Mark Piesing ponders who will rule the arctic; and, Daisy Dunn celebrates the history of poems on the underground. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Post-holiday depression, failed New Year’s resolutions and battered bank balances: January’s Blue Monday has long been branded as the most miserable day of the year. Headlines warn of ongoing war, political turmoil and economic gloom – but could they be mistaken?Join The Spectator and special guests as they defy the doomsters to deliver an optimist’s guide to 2026. Almost three-quarters of people worldwide believe that this year will be better than the last. Are they right?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When was the last time you visited your local parish church? Historian and social media influencer Daniel Wilson joins Damian Thompson to encourage more people to visit their local churches – not just as a centre of worship but as a historical treasure trove. Daniel takes us through some of his favourite examples of medieval architecture, as he emphasises the importance of being a 'tourist in your own neighbourhood'.For more from Daniel, you can find him on Instagram and TikTok: @greatbritisharchitectureProduced by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With the Conservatives on watch for further defectors, academic Richard Johnson and Conservative peer Danny Finkelstein join James Heale to discuss whether British politics rewards traitors or faithfuls. Richard points out that often personal success is dependent on whether the party goes on to be a major or minor player in British politics; Winston Churchill and Shaun Woodward fared better, while Shirley Williams and Mark Reckless had less success. Danny – whose political career began with the SDP in the 1980s – also takes us through his personal experience and the challenges of defecting, from ideology and demography to the perception of betrayal. How fundamental is the shift taking place in British politics?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Another week, another foreign policy crisis – this time over Greenland. America's European allies watched as Trump increased the tension over the Arctic territory, only to announce he 'won't use force' in a set-piece speech in Davos. For the Spectator's cover this week, Paul Wood examines the strategic role of the Arctic, both against Russia and China and from nuclear energy to the space race. With a deal supposedly done between Denmark and the US, is there method in Trump's madness?For this week’s Edition, host William Moore is joined by deputy editor Freddy Gray, online commissioning editor Lara Brown and broadcaster Miriam Cates. Saying she feels sorry for Keir Starmer, the former Conservative MP argues that Britain is a 'vassal state' and needs to wake up to the fact America is not benevolent. Is Britain's attitude towards the special relationship realistic or naive?The also discuss: how 'Brand Britain' is losing its value by cosying up to the Chinese; how – despite the defection of Robert Jenrick – Reform is still very vulnerable to an anti-Farage pact; the merits of banning social media for children under the age of 16; and finally, how concerned the global west should be about the radicalisation of young women.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The SNP announced their budget last week promising to cut taxes for low income earners. Could this be the smallest tax cut in history? Michael Simmons has the data.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To hear the full episode, search Quite right! wherever you are listening now. This week: Michael and Maddie ask whether the so-called special relationship between Britain and the United States has finally reached breaking point. As Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland and his reversal on the Chagos Islands unsettle allies, has the British right begun to turn decisively against him? Was the special relationship ever more than a comforting myth – and what does a more erratic, transactional America mean for Britain’s security, sovereignty and strategic future?Then: Robert Jenrick’s dramatic defection to Reform UK. Was his exit from the Conservatives a naked career move, or a genuine ideological break forged by failure on migration and borders? And does his defection strengthen Reform’s claim to be a serious insurgent force – or expose the growing risk of a destructive civil war on the right that ultimately benefits Keir Starmer?Produced by Oscar Edmondson.To submit your urgent questions to Michael and Maddie, visit spectator.co.uk/quiteright.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Mickey Down, co-creator of Industry, reads his diary for the week; Charlie Gammell argues that US intervention could push Iran into civil war and terrorism – warning that there are more possibilities than just revolution or regime survival; false dichotomy at the heart of; Sean Thomas bemoans the bittersweet liberation from his libido; and, Douglas Murray believes Britain has a growing obsession with race.Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thousands of homes across the South East have been without water for four consecutive days. South East Water’s record on water supply interruptions is one of the worst in the sector. Ofwat, the regulator, has placed it in the bottom three companies for disruptions each year from 2020 to last year. What has happened to the water industry in the past decade? And would nationalisation fix it? Michael Simmons is joined by The Spectator's business editor Martin Vander Weyer.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the 21st century, the theocratic nature of the Iranian regime – ruled by senior Shia clerics – appears to be a rarity. The constitutional role of religion is perhaps matched only by the Vatican City and Afghanistan, though these vary in terms of autocracy – as evidenced by the brutal suppression of protests across Iran in the past few weeks. The regime, installed following the 1979 revolution and led first by Ayatollah Khomeini and now Ayatollah Khameini, has proven remarkably resilient; how has it survived so long?Peter Frankopan – professor of global history at Oxford University – joins Damian Thompson to discuss the tensions associated with state control of public life, how to define theocracies and how those of us in the global west might not be as immune to their features as we would like to think.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As Ed Davey condemned Donald Trump's military manoeuvres abroad, Annabel Denham looked on and asked 'what's the point of the Liberal Democrats?'. Thinking about the Lib Dem's longstanding europhile stance, the senior political correspondent at the Telegraph wrote: 'the party that once stood on a tradition of civil liberties now wants us to rejoin a bloc which regulates everything'.Calum Miller MP – foreign affairs spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats – joins Annabel and deputy political editor James Heale to address Annabel's challenge that the party is defined more by opposition the other parties than by their own policies. So, from localism and the UK's place in the world to free markets and social care, what do the Lib Dems stand for? And what constitutes 'liberalism' today?Produced by Patrick Gibbons, Megan McElroy and Natasha Feroze.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As the world watches events in Iran, and wonders whether the US will intervene, the Spectator’s cover this week examines 'British complicity in Tehran’s terror’. When thinking about what could happen next in the crisis, there is a false dichotomy presented between regime survival and revolution; the reality is more complicated, though there is no doubt that this is the biggest threat to the theocratic regime in decades. For this week’s Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by political editor Tim Shipman, columnist Rachel Johnson and features editor – and Edition co-host – William Moore. They commend the bravery of Iran’s protestors but criticise the ‘inept, naive and wrong’ response of the Foreign Office. Are some Brits proving to be Iran’s ‘useful idiots’? As well as the crisis in the Middle East, they discuss: whether the Starmer administration should be considered Gordon Brown’s second term; the growing obsession with race in Britain – particularly by the right; Rachel’s reflections on her travels to the US – from transatlantic cruise liners to partying with our former colleague Katy Balls; why some men lament the loss of their libido; and finally, the controversy over Elon Musk’s AI tool ‘Grok’. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
My guest in this week’s Book Club is Joanna Kavenna, who talks about her witty, philosophically riddling new novel Seven: Or, How To Play A Game Without Rules. She tells me about taking her bearings from Italo Calvino, making up a board game and then being the world’s worst player at it, how AI challenges our sense of ourselves – and how Morten Harket found his way into her fiction.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For the full episode, search 'Quite right!' wherever you are listening now. This week on Quite right!, Michael and Maddie examine Nadhim Zahawi’s dramatic defection to Reform UK and ask whether it strengthens the party’s insurgent credentials or exposes a deeper strategic mistake. Is Reform becoming a genuine outsider movement, or simply a refuge for disaffected Tories? And what does the pattern of Boris-era defections reveal about credibility, competence and the challenge of turning populist energy into a governing force?Then, Iran: mass protests against the regime have erupted onto the streets of Tehran and beyond. Are these demonstrations the prelude to real regime change – or another brutal crackdown waiting to happen? And what role should the West, and the United States in particular, play as the situation escalates?And finally: as MPs call for X to be banned in the UK over the conduct of Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, Michael and Maddie ask whether this is a necessary intervention to protect the vulnerable – or another bout of performative pearl-clutching that misses the far bigger risks posed by artificial intelligence.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.To submit your urgent questions to Michael and Maddie, visit spectator.co.uk/quiteright.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
Thank you! You are absolutely right!! Unfortunately, our Aus government will not do anything for the good Aus people. They will punish the good people of Aus with suppression. I, and many of us are extremely furious!!!!@! We are thinking of the Jewish community and those who died.
anti semtism has been reduced to a pathetic fig leaf doomed to irrelevance by genocidal psychopaths that you are insidiously protecting making you directly complicit in genocide. shame on you
Brilliant!
I can not believe how far off the mark this woman is, and with the brazen confidence she possesses. Woman-splaining about men's apparent problems. How can society solve men's problems by treating them exactly how we've been solving women's problems? "...Taking on more feminine traits"... "and having fabulous makeovers. " Men are not women, so Moran seems to neglect. Of all the statistics she gives, she insists that men need to talk, express themselves, and cry in the way that women do. She demonstrates that she knows nothing of evolutionary psychology of the sexes, perhaps listening and reading more broadly and perhaps a professor of clinical psychology with over 35 years of clinical practice and teaching at Harvard may know better, but obviously, Jordan Peterson. She gives the most typical left-wing feminist view of the apparent monster that Dr. Jordan Peterson is and goes on to mischaracterise his book. Nothing interesting, valid, or new. Quite boring. She says that she uses the same
A gratuitous reference to 'atheist' in the title there, as if that was the salient issue with North Korea. But otherwise, good of The Spectator to focus some attention on the evil regime there.
one sided as usual
I will listen to this and give it a chance. However I really hope it's not gonna be full of bullshit. These Replicans have a terrible habit of making stuff up or lying to put it more succinctly.
I was very disappointed to find a contribution from Jacob Rees-Mogg on here. I can save everyone time from listening to it as it was nonsensical twaddle laced with obligatory lies. The usual stuff from this repulsive individual.
correction: the damage caused by *the response to* the pandemic.
Harry is a disgrace. stitching up his own family with a tissue of lies, to enrich himself and make a reasonably pretty girl (a 39 yr old divorced actress) like him. Big big error.
Max comes across as way to London centric.
Similar to the story about Genghis Khan on the Mongols. Yes they were brutal but they had freedom of religion, the promotion of people on merit, appreciation of art, they spread literacy, and many many other positive attributes. And that was back in the 13th century, while Europe was deep in the dark ages, eating mud for dinner.
what....the..fuck...
I found the... attitude... of the guests this week pretty dismissive of the Chinese Trump supporters.
Religious elite in corruption shock. Imagine my surprise.
this lady started as an interesting perspective but ended as a completely useful idiot for the CCP. She even washes over the Uigher genocide. what a disgraceful woman. great show as always, Cindy.
a ridiculous statement in this podcast. "this is driven by racism, anti-Communist racism." yeah obviously Communism is a race now. clown.
These people are the WORST of the Spectator
An interesting listen...
Katrina Ffrench was very rude. She cut in over the very reasonable bloke, saying "I'm finding it difficult to listen to this" but she actually meant "listen to me instead of him". She came across badly and damaged her cause. That said, some of the issues were definitely valid.