Best of the Spectator

Justine Roberts is the CEO and founder of Mumsnet. A website that makes parents’ lives easier by pooling knowledge, advice and support on everything from baby names, and household tips, to who they’re voting for in the next election.  On the podcast, Justine talks about being a young girl from Surrey, mad about Liverpool football club and spending her years at Oxford University on the sports field...

On this week's podcast: As Liz Truss returns from Conservative Party Conference with her wings clipped, has she failed in her revolutionary aims for the party? James Forsyth discusses this in the cover piece for The Spectator , and is joined by former cabinet minister and New Labour architect Peter Mandelson to discuss (01:08). Also this week: Is it time that the West got tough with Putin? Mark Ga...

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Peter Stothard, whose new book Crassus: The First Tycoon tells the story of the third man in Rome’s great triumvirate: landlord, power-broker, Spartacus’s nemesis and leader of a hubristic expedition to the east that was to see his glorious career end in bitter failure. Image © Teri Pengilley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Fraser Nelson and guests as they assess the West’s ability to deter conflict and defend its interests, and discuss how the UK’s armed forces can harness innovation to retain its edge against newer, technological threats. With James Heappey, Minister of State for the Armed Forces and Veterans; Dr Liam Fox, former Secretary of State for Defence; Professor Michael Clarke, visiting professor in t...

Liz Truss has spoken about an axis of liberty becoming the basis of Britain’s foreign policy. The Aukus alliance is a cornerstone of new security architecture. Join The Spectator ’s Cindy Yu and special guests as they explore what this means, what’s to come, and whether the alliance is an effective basis for containing China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the NHS turns 74, the service has never been under so much strain. The pandemic has created record waiting lists of almost seven million in England alone. Every month, tens of thousands of accident and emergency patients are left to wait for more than 12 hours with ambulances queuing up outside. Other long-term challenges such as an ageing population are coming to a head.   On this podcast, Isa...

In this episode of Chinese Whispers, we look ahead to the 20th National Party Congress, where senior members will gather to review the future direction of the party and unveil new leaders. What should China-watchers expect? Will Xi be able to fill the standing committee with those loyal to him? To discuss this important moment in the communist calendar is author of the Sinocism substack Bill Bisho...

This week on Spectator Out Loud, Jenny McCartney argues that tomorrow belongs to Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland. What could this mean for reunification (00:55)? Then, Dan Hitchens asks why Oxford killed a much loved catholic college (11:44) before Gus Carter reads his notes on the tabletop game Warhammer (20:12).  Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy fo...

The UK was the first country in the world to begin its formal vaccine rollout, starting with the 91 year old Margaret Keenan. In the years since, the pandemic has been almost entirely routed in this country (though its impact on the economy, on healthcare, on the criminal justice system, continue to be suffered). But the British vaccine – developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca – was a key...

On this week's podcast: For the cover of the magazine Kate Andrews assesses the politics of panic, and the fallout of last week's so-called fiscal event. She is joined by Robert Colvile, director of the Centre for Policy Studies think tank to discuss where the Conservatives go from here (00:57). Also this week: Does the future belong to Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland? This is the claim that Jenny M...

In this week's Book Club podcast my guest is the doyen of war studies, Lawrence Freedman. His new book Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine takes a fascinating look at the interplay between politics and conflict in the post-war era. He tells me why dictators make bad generals, how soldiers are always playing politics, how the nuclear age has changed the calculus of co...

This week Freddy is joined by political theorist Yoram Hazony. They discuss Yoram's new book Conservatism: A Rediscovery , the origins of American conservatism and whether the family unit will be the defining feature of the modern conservative movement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham has served as Mayor of Greater Manchester since 2017. Before this he held prominent positions in Gordon Brown's cabinet, including health secretary and culture secretary.  On the podcast he recalls Friday night 'chippy teas' as a child, the oddity of having food items named after him and discusses his work tackling food insecurity in Greater Manchester. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/...

Katy Balls, The Spectator 's deputy political editor, is joined by journalist Peter Hitchens; Spectator contributor Paul Wood; The Spectator 's economics editor Kate Andrews; political editor James Forsyth; assistant editor Isabel Hardman; news editor John Connolly; and assistant online editor Lisa Haseldine. On the episode: 00:00 – Welcome from Katy Balls 01:21 – Would Putin use a nuclear bomb? W...

This week on Spectator Out Loud, Oliver Basciano warns that we should brace ourselves for a coup in Brazil (00:53). Then, is three – or more – a crowd? Mary Wakefield discuses this in her Spectator column (08:41), before Fiona Mountford tells us about the sad demise of church pews (14:55). Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode: For the cover of the magazine, Paul Wood asks whether Putin could actually push the nuclear button in order to save himself? He is joined by The Spectator’s assistant online editor Lisa Haseldine, to discuss (01:03). Also this week: Why is there violence on the streets of Leicester? Douglas Murray writes about this in his column this week and we speak to journalist Sunny Hu...

This week Freddy speaks to journalist and political analyst Sean Trende about what we can expect from the November midterms. Is there a red wave incoming? Or will the Democrats do better than expected? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Book Club podcast we’re talking about the best crime writer you’ve (probably) never heard of. As Penguin reissues three of Josephine Tey’s classic Golden Age novels, I’m joined by Nicola Upson, whose own detective stories (most recently Dear Little Corpses ) feature Tey as a central character. She tells me about the unique character of Tey’s writing, her discreet private life, and a...

In the last four decades, hundreds of millions of Chinese have moved into cities. Today, two thirds of the country live in urban areas (compared to just one third in 1985), and many of these are hubs with tens of millions of people – mega-cities that many in the West have never heard of before. What does this fast urbanisation do to communities and tradition? On this episode, Cindy Yu's guest Aust...

This week on Spectator Out Loud, Owen Matthews evaluates Russia’s ultra-nationalist threat (00:55), Cindy Yu reviews Perhat Tarsun’s The Backstreets (12:36) and ex-royal ladies maid Alicia Healey tells us why a handbag was the Queen’s secret weapon (15:22).  Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s podcast:  We reflect on the life and the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.  For The Spectator , A.N. Wilson writes that Queen Elizabeth was a constant in a country that has changed so much, and he is joined on the Edition podcast by Graham Viney author of Last Hurrah: The 1947 Tour of Southern Africa and the End of Empire (00:59).  Also this week:  Michael Hall takes us inside the Royal...

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is A.M. Homes. She talks about her new novel The Unfolding , which imagines a conspiracy of angry Republicans forming after John McCain’s 2008 election defeat in the hopes of taking their America back. She talks about her history of prescience, about the deep weirdness of the Washington she grew up in, and why there’s more than one 'deep state'. Hosted on...

Oliver Woodhead is founder of L'Entente, the British brasserie in Paris. On the podcast, he tells Lara and Liv about what the French think about a traditional English breakfast, explains how he was inspired by London's St. John restaurant, and asks what our hosts' favourite ingredient is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Marshall Matters, Winston speaks with actor turned political activist Laurence Fox on his new film My Son Hunter, Biden corruption, being ostracised from the film industry and the importance of free speech. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Spectator Out Loud: after the sad passing of our longest reigning monarch, the great Queen Elizabeth II, Melanie McDonagh reads her poignant piece on how Britain, as a nation, will be lesser without her (01:09). Then, turning to politics, Katy Balls gives us an update on how Liz Truss is shaking up Number 10 (05:18) before Nigel Richardson, author of the new book The Accidental Detect...