Best of the Spectator
The Spectator
300 episodes
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.
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Episodes page 3 of 6
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Spectator Out Loud: James Heale, Iona Bain, Tali Fraser & James Phillips
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: James Heale explains what the Opposition parties plan to do now that Andy Burnham is in No 10; Iona Bain explains why premium bonds are a pointless way to save for your child, and…
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Americano: how Steve Hilton plans to win California
Steve Hilton is the British immigrant backed by President Trump who is running to be the next governor of California. On the podcast Steve and Freddy discuss his campaign, one slogan being Cali-fordable – how to…
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Coffee House Shots: Nick Clegg's coalition regrets
Tim Shipman is joined by Sir Nick Clegg, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, as part of The Spectator's new event series, Tim Shipman Meets the Party Leaders. Tim challenges Sir Nick…
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The Edition: Burnham’s chaotic takeover
This week: has Andy Burnham really brought change to Downing Street – or merely repackaged Labour’s old guard? Has Ed Miliband been sidelined by being sent to the Foreign Office, a ‘non-job’ in which he can do little…
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The Book Club: 160 years of Beatrix Potter
This week marks the 160th anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s birth. In this week’s Book Club podcast, I’m joined by Penny Bradshaw, author of An A–Z of Beatrix Potter, and the historian and biographer Kathryn Hughes,…
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Quite right!: inside Burnham’s brutal Labour purge
Andy Burnham has begun his premiership with a sweeping reshuffle, purging many of Keir Starmer’s closest allies and installing a cabinet in his own image. Has he ended Labour factionalism – or simply created a new…
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Spectator Out Loud: Michael Gove, Count Binface, Michael Simmons & Graeme Thomson
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Michael Gove explains why he is against more security for MPs; taking a brief break from campaigning in clacton as count binface, Jon Harvey explains why Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey…
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Coffee House: Burnham becomes Prime Minister
As Andy Burnham unveils his first Cabinet, join Tim Shipman and James Heale for a special live edition of Coffee House. Who’s in, who’s out? What do the appointments reveal about Burnham’s priorities, and might they…
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Reality Check: Fact checking Rupert Lowe on Joe Rogan
Last week, the Joe Rogan Experience podcast released a two-hour interview with Rupert Lowe, leader of the Restore party. Was Lowe there merely to create content – or is Restore a serious political party? Some of his…
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Americano: what did Lindsey Graham want?
On Sunday, the Senator Lindsay Graham died suddenly having just return from a trip to Ukraine. It is believed he suffered from a sudden heart problem. Spectator contributor Dan McCarthy reflects on Graham's political…
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Coffee House Shots: why MPs must be whipped | Simon Hart
Andy Burnham has promised to turn the whips’ office into an ‘HR department’ – but the former chief whip Simon Hart warns that the approach is ‘naive’ and could leave the new prime minister unable to control his party.…
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The Edition: can Burnham remake Britain – and can Wales decolonise it?
For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s political editor, Tim Shipman, commissioning editor and writer at large Tali Fraser, and the historian Antony Beevor. This week: what will Andy…
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The Book Club: Rome's Age of Revolutions
My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Tim Whitmarsh, Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge and author of Rome’s Age of Revolution: Augustus, Empire and the Making of Christianity. He tells me why, contrary to…
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Quite right!: Burnham is wrong to ditch Palantir | Louis Mosley
Louis Mosley is the UK head of Palantir, one of the world’s most powerful – and controversial – technology companies. Its work with the NHS, the US government and western militaries has made it a lightning rod for…
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Americano: How the US views Britain's right-wing circus
Both Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe have been in the America, telling the political elite all about Britain's demise. Freddy Gray is joined by The Times Washington editor Katy Balls to discuss how the right-wing…
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Spectator Out Loud: Tali Fraser, Damian Thompson, Matthew Wilson & Christa d’Souza
This week: Tali Fraser gives the definitive answer to what Andy Burnham’s ‘Manchesterism’ actually is; Damian Thompson asks if there is any route back for the Society of St Pius X; Matthew Wilson discusses whether…
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Holy Smoke: how religion shapes football
From idolising players to faithfully following a club, football is often described as the world’s secular religion. But religion has long been woven into the fabric of the game itself. From the sectarian roots of…
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Coffee House Shots: how we plan to beat Reform | Conservative chairman
The Tories will not stand a candidate against Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election – and on today’s podcast Conservative party chairman Kevin Hollinrake explains why. Hollinrake also reveals what is behind the…
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The Edition: has Farage lost control?
For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, deputy editor of the US edition Gus Carter and the Mail on Sunday’s restaurant critic Tom Parker Bowles. This week:…
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Americano: the truth about Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom has spent the last two years building a national profile for himself beyond his controversial leadership of California as its Governor. But is he equipped to take on the challenges that would be faced by a…
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Quite right!: did Cummings predict Farage’s downfall?
Nigel Farage has resigned as MP for Clacton and will fight a by-election in an attempt to turn questions over his finances into a referendum on ‘the people vs the establishment’. Is this a political masterstroke or a…
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Reality Check: Burnham's bid to bridge the North-South divide
Andy Burnham has laid out his plans to 'level up the North'. Something we have heard with almost every Prime Minister pledge to do – but with very little clarity over how this will be achieved and what success looks…
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Spectator Out Loud: Max Jeffery, Gavin Mortimer, James Delingpole, Aidan Hartley & Angus Colwell
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Max Jeffery explains the truth about how the British Empire is taught in schools; Gavin Mortimer asks why Giorgia Meloni is courting Emmanuel Macron; James Delingpole reviews the…
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Holy Smoke: Was America meant to be a Christian nation?
It might be 250 years since the Declaration of Independence but the document continues to prove controversial, with political groups arguing over the intention behind the document – just watch any Supreme Court case.…
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Coffee House Shots: Anthony Scaramucci on Trump, Corruption & America at 250
As Americans mark the 250th anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, Anthony Scaramucci joins the Spectator to provide his assessment of the health of the nation. As we approach the halfway point of the…
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The Edition: Labour's 'total failure' on defence – and why Boris shouldn't come back
For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator’s deputy editor Freddy Gray, assistant content editor John Power and former Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt. This week: Labour’s lame…
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The Book Club: A History of the United States in 15 Speeches
My guest in this week's Book Club podcast is the former Obama speechwriter Ben Rhodes, talking about his new book All We Say: A History of the United States in 15 Speeches. Ben tells me why a debate between two visions…
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Coffee House Shots: Summer Party Secrets
As the nation holds its breath to see if England will be progressing in the World Cup, the bottles of Pol Roger are on ice for the post-match after party: the Spectator's summer party, taking place this evening.…
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Quite right!: Burnham thinks devolution can fix Britain – is he right?
This week: Burnham’s strategy – or lack of one – a ‘number ten of the North’ and why immigration is the real test. What is so wrong with the South: Andy Burnham thinks devolution is the answer to Broken Britain, but…
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Americano: Why is America’s radical left winning?
After success in the New York democratic primaries for far-left candidates, President Trump says 'the game is on. Enjoy Watching.' Freddy Gray speaks to Spectator columnist, Roger Kimball, about how Trump plans to deal…
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Spectator Out Loud: Richard Madeley, Michael Simmons, Gus Carter & Arabella Byrne
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Richard Madeley wonders if anyone in the media still drinks; Michael Simmons asks if the UK is ready for Andy Burnham’s first Budget; Gus Carter explains the Spectator’s role in the…
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Americano: has America really lost to Iran?
Vice President JD Vance is returning from the Swiss Alps having concluded the opening phase of the Iran talks with a view to achieving a peace deal. Are critics right to claim that the whole war has been a humiliation…
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Coffee House Shots: is Britain ungovernable?
We are on course for yet another prime minister – our seventh in just ten years. With statistics like that, and after watching the now-familiar pattern of leaders arriving with promises of hopeful change only to…
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The Edition: Burnham's coronation – but does he have a plan for power?
For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, the drinks writer Henry Jeffreys and the founder and chair of iNHouse Communications – and former director of…
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The Book Club: Carlo Rovelli
In this week's Book Club podcast, I'm joined by the theoretical physicist and writer Carlo Rovelli to discuss his new book 85 Seconds to Midnight: A Physicist's Argument Against Rearmament, where in imitation of…
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Quite right!: Starmer’s fall – and the rise of King Burnham
This week: Starmer’s exit, Burnham’s rise – and the court of King Andy. As Keir Starmer resigns after less than two years in office, Michael and Madeline ask what really brought his premiership to an end. Was Starmer…
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Inside the £2 billion black market threatening Britain’s high streets
Illegal tobacco is estimated to cost the UK around £2 billion a year in lost tax revenue, while undercutting legitimate retailers and providing a lucrative market for organised crime. Sarah Connor, UK director of…
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Spectator Out Loud: Freddy Gray, Matt Ridley, Peter Parker & Lloyd Evans
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Freddy Gray asks whether the Iran deal will destroy J.D. Vance; Matt Ridley argues that Britain must finally embrace gene editing; Peter Parker explains the problem with ‘queer art';…
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Holy Smoke: are Mormons Christian?
For Christians and non-Christians alike, Mormons remain a bit of an enigma – especially in the UK. In the US however there are almost 7 million and they punch above their weight in terms of political influence; notable…
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Coffee House Shots: the Makerfield by-election, as it happened
Andy Burnham has won what may come to be seen as the most consequential by-election in recent memory. Political journalism has a tendency towards hyperbole, but the situation is clear: Burnham is on his way to…
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The Edition: Was Brexit worth it – and can Burnham save Britain?
For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s assistant editor Isabel Hardman and the editor of The New Statesman Tom McTague. Plus, in a special episode this week, the Spectator’s economics…
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The Book Club: How Our Children Live Now
My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is the Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, whose new book, A British Childhood: How Our Children Live Now, describes what he discovered from the travels he undertook…
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Quite right!: was Enoch Powell right about Britain?
Enoch Powell is one of the most polarising figures in modern British politics. His infamous ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech – in which he warned that immigration would spark ethnic conflict – continues to shape some of…
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Reality Check: is Starmer right to ban social media for children?
Keir Starmer has announced his plans to ban social media for under 16s in Britain. The ban is due to come in early next year and include all main social media apps. Age-recognition and digital ID checks will be used to…
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Americano: can Trump forge a lasting peace with Iran?
Freddy is joined by Daniel McCarthy, US columnist for The Spectator and the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review. They discuss the US-Iran peace deal, whether a lasting peace is possible in the region, and…
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Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman – with Kemi Badenoch, Justin Marozzi, Christopher Howse & Lara Prendergast
On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman interviews Kemi Badenoch – including excerpts from the interview; Justin Marozzi argues that Trump’s strategy has only strengthened the Iranian regime; Christopher Howse…
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Americano: why is Cenk Uygur banned from Britain, really?
Freddy Gray is joined by Cenk Uygur after he and Hasan Piker were banned from entering Britain. They discuss free speech, debate Cenk's position on criticising Israel, Britain’s censorious turn, and what the Henry…
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The Edition: 'We're only months away from the first political assassination by drone'
For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator's commissioning editor Lara Brown, the columnist for the Wall Street Journal’s Free Expression newsletter Louise Perry and the Telegraph journalist and…
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The Book Club: George Forster and the Search for Humanity
My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is Andrea Wulf, talking about her fascinating new book, The Traveller: George Forster and the Search for Humanity. Andrea tells me about the now-forgotten adventurer who sailed…
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Quite right!: why Starmer won’t go quietly
This week: Keir Starmer’s legacy, Andy Burnham’s next move – and should there be a general election? With the Makerfield by-election just days away, Michael Gove is joined by Rachel Johnson to ask whether an Andy…
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