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Best of the Spectator — News & Politics
Best of the Spectator

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.

Latest Episodes:

Spectator Out Loud: James Heale, Paul Wood and Hermione Eyre Jun 17, 2023

Show notes

This week: James Heale takes us through the runners and riders for the conservative nomination for mayor of London (1:00), Paul Wood discusses how Saudi Arabia is trying to buy the world (06:02), and Hermione Eyre reads her arts lead on the woman who pioneered colour photography (12:51).
Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americano: Will nuclear power heal the climate? Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

This week, Freddy is joined by a great American filmmaker, Oliver Stone, and a great Argentinian filmmaker, Fernando Sulichin. Their new documentary Nuclear Now proposes nuclear energy as the solution to the climate crisis. On the podcast, they address global concerns about adding nuclear to the energy mix, compare the nuclear policy of Presidents Biden and Trump and discuss the opinion that Oliver formed of Vladimir Putin while filming The Putin Interviews.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women With Balls: Isabel Oakeshott Jun 16, 2023

Show notes

Isabel Oakeshott is a journalist and author of numerous political biographies, formerly the political editor for the Sunday Times. She's known for a number of scoops over the years, including Chris Huhne's speeding ticket and revealing Matt Hancock's lockdown WhatsApps. On the episode, she talks to Katy about why toughness was a quality her parents particularly emphasised in her upbringing; what it was like to break into the lobby as a female journalist; and why she decided to break her confidentiality agreement to expose the cache of messages that Matt Hancock had given her.
Produced by Natasha Feroze, Saby Reyes-Kulkarni and Oscar Edmondson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Edition: Get Rishi Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

This week:
For her cover piece, The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls writes that Boris Johnson could be attempting to spearhead an insurgency against the prime minister. She joins the podcast alongside historian and author Sir Anthony Seldon, to discuss whether – in light of the Privileges Committee's findings – Boris is going to seriously up the ante when it comes to seeking revenge against his former chancellor. (01:02)
Also this week:
In The Spectator journalist Paul Wood writes about how Saudi Arabia is buying the world, after the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund negotiated a controlling interest in the main US golf tournament, the PGA. This took many people by surprise. He is joined by New York Times journalist Justin Scheck to debate whether MBS's motivation really is international recognition, or perhaps domestic security. (12:41)
And finally:
In the books section of the magazine Simon Heffer reviews Tim Burrow’s new book: The Invention of Essex: The Making of an English County. They both join the podcast to consider whether the 'Essex Man' as alive and well. (25:00)
Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Book Club: James Comey Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is the former FBI director James Comey, who is making his debut as a thriller writer with an engrossing police procedural, Central Park West. Jim tells me how he mined his own early career as a prosecutor in the southern district of New York to produce this world of hard-bitten investigators and murderous mafiosi (and how he was able to bring it up to date because it’s a world his daughter now inhabits). And, as the investigator at the centre of the Scooter Libby and Hillary Clinton email cases – among many others involving classified intelligence – he gives me his take on what Donald Trump’s indictment means and where it’s likely to lead.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marshall Matters: Tony Diver Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

Tony Diver is part of the investigations team at the Telegraph who exposed the Government Counter-Disinformation Unit. The unit operated during the pandemic to suppress speech deemed dangerous. Tony explains how and why the government operated with social media companies to silence dissenters on lockdown, masks and more. They also discuss the Lockdown Files and the upcoming Covid inquiry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Week in 60 Minutes: Harry vs the press & Oxfam attacks terfs Jun 11, 2023

Show notes

Cindy Yu is joined by Neil Wallis and Freddy Gray to discuss Prince Harry’s lone crusade in the hacking trial against the Mirror. Also on the show, Katy Balls on the Prime Minister’s trip to Washington; Christopher Snowdon on why it’s time for Britain to pull out of the WHO; Michael Shellenberger to defends free speech and Helen Joyce on the terf Oxfam advert.
00:00 Welcome from Cindy Yu
02:14 What happened when Prince Harry took the stand? With Neil Wallis and Freddy Gray
16:20 Is the 'special relationship' reciprocated? With Katy Balls
23:19 Is it time Britain left WHO? With Christopher Snowdon
36:26 Why are government's clamping down on free speech? With Michael Shellenberger
48:39 Why is Oxfam weighing in on the gender critical debate? With Helen Joyce
Produced by Natasha Feroze.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spectator Out Loud: Michela Wrong, Emily Rhodes and Cindy Yu Jun 10, 2023

Show notes

This week: Michela Wrong asks whether anywhere is safe for Kagame's critics (00:58), Emily Rhodes charts the rise of fake libraries (07:54), and Cindy Yu reviews a new exhibition at the British Museum on China's hidden century (15:25).
Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americano: what happened to Kim Darroch? Jun 09, 2023

Show notes

Freddy Gray is joined by Steve Edginton, video comment editor at the Telegraph and host of the Off Script podcast to discuss curious case of Sir Kim Darroch. A former civil servant has accused the government of an attempt to cover up “crimes” by the former British ambassador to the US, who he claims leaked intelligence to his lover. What has this done to the Anglo-American relations on the week Rishi Sunak visited Washington?
Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Harry Masterson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Edition: Harry’s crusade Jun 08, 2023

Show notes

This week:
Prince Harry has taken the stand to give evidence in the Mirror Group phone hacking trial which The Spectator’s deputy editor Freddy Gray talks about in his cover piece for the magazine. He is joined by Patrick Jephson, former private secretary to Princess Diana, to discuss whether Harry's 'suicide mission' against the press is ill-advised. (01:22)
Also this week:
In The Spectator professor Robert Tombs details the trouble with returning the Benin Bronzes back to Nigeria, arguing that their restitution is more complicated than some claim. He is joined by Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, executive director of the Restitution Study Group, who have recently screened a short film in Cannes, detailing why they think the bronzes should stay where they are. (14:07)
And finally:
Journalist Emily Rhodes writes this week about the rise of fake libraries and the current online trend for having phoney books on bookshelves. She joins the podcast alongside The Spectator’s literary editor Sam Leith, to discuss whether this fad could spell the end for books as we know them. (22:39)
Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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