Best of the Spectator - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

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: Melanie McDonagh, Katy Balls and Nigel Richardson Sep 10, 2022

Show notes

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 Detectorist, tells us about his new hobby, metal detecting (10:55).
Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.

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

The Edition: Buckle up Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

In this week’s episode:
As the Liz Truss era begins, we assess the bumpy road that lies ahead of her.
James Forsyth and Rachel Wolf, co-author of the 2019 conservative manifesto, join the Edition podcast (01:04).
Also this week:
From generation rent to generation buy: has Help to Buy been a success or a failure?
Emma Hollender speaks with economist – and ‘Trussketeer’ – Dr Gerard Lyons (12:29).
And finally: is metal detecting becoming popular?
Nigel Richardson discusses this in his piece in The Spectator this week and is joined by Julian Evan-Hart, editor of Treasure Hunting magazine (25:17).
Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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

The Book Club: Ian McEwan Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

Sam Leith's guest in this week’s Book Club is Ian McEwan – whose latest novel Lessons draws on his own biography to imagine an 'alternative life' for himself. He tells Sam about what drew him, in his late career, to using autobiography; about why there’s no contradiction in combining realism with metafiction; about the importance of sex; the rise of cancel culture – and why literary fiction by 'comfortable white men of a certain age' may have had its day, but he’s not complaining.

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

Chinese Whispers: will Truss declare a genocide in Xinjiang? Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

After a long summer of hustings, Liz Truss has finally been confirmed today as the next leader of the Conservative party. As she gets the keys to Downing Street, she'll finally be able to carry out her vision of Sino-British relations. But what is that vision?
On the latest Chinese Whispers, Cindy Yu speaks to Sam Hogg, editor of the must-read Beijing to Britain newsletter, about what we know about Truss's views on China so far. Will she declare a genocide in Xinjiang? What is an acceptable level of trade with Beijing?
The difficulty for Truss is that she has never had to balance her opinions on China with the wider remit of government (for example, when it comes to the trading relationship that she lambasted her rival Rishi Sunak for pursuing, while at the Treasury). As Sam points out, taking the example of declaring a genocide in Xinjiang (something she has privately expressed support for):

‘When you officially recognise that a genocide is taking place, that puts an onus on the country that has done so to try and actively stop that, using a variety of means (that could be sanctions for example). With that in mind, one can see why it’s a useful campaign pledge, but a difficult policy to carry out once in power’

Then she might be held hostage by China hawks on the backbenches – those MPs like Iain Duncan Smith who have lent her his support, but may want to see her be as vocally sceptical of China in Downing Street as she has been so far. In that case, there could be a vibe similar to how the hardline Brexiteers held previous Conservative prime ministers to ransom on seeing through their visions. ‘She’s made a series of political contracts with various backbenchers about how hawkish she is going to be towards China. And each of these backbenchers will have a limited amount of patience’, Sam points out.
We won't have long to find out as she gets her feet under the desk at No. 10 and, in a couple of months, meets with President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Indonesia.

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

The Week in 60 Minutes: Meghan returns and Macron vs Truss Sep 04, 2022

Show notes

John Connolly, The Spectator's news editor, is joined by deputy editor Freddy Gray; political editor James Forsyth; business editor Martin Vander Weyer; assistant editor Isabel Hardman; contributors Louise Perry and Simon Kuper; historian Robert Service; journalist Anne-Elisabeth Moutet; Times royal correspondent Valentine Low; deputy editor Freddy Gray; political editor James Forsyth; business editor Martin Vander Weyer; and assistant editor Isabel Hardman.

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

Spectator Out Loud: Keiron Pim, Miranda Morrison and Cosmo Landesman Sep 03, 2022

Show notes

This week on Spectator Out Loud: Keiron Pim discusses what young Ukrainians can learn from the works of Joseph Roth (01:00), Miranda Morrison reflects on her decision to quit her job as a teacher (11:26), and Cosmo Landesman asks whether successful writers can be friends with less successful ones (19:39).
Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.

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

Americano: Is Catholicism becoming cool? Sep 02, 2022

Show notes

Freddy Gray speaks to Julia Yost about her recent New York Times column, 'New York's Hottest Club Is the Catholic Church'.

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

The Edition: Drama queens Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

In this week's episode:
We look ahead to Harry and Meghan’s UK tour next week, how will they be received?
Freddy Gray and Tanya Gold join the Edition podcast to discuss (01:01).
Also this week:
In the Spectator magazine, our Economics Editor Kate Andrews sat down with the three economists, or 'Trussketeers', that are informing the would-be PM’s economic plan.
She joins us along with Julian Jessop, one such economist that has been advising Liz Truss (13:51).
And finally: can successful writers be friends with less successful ones?
Cosmo Landesman asks this question in the magazine this week and is joined by the author Ian Rankin (27:07).
Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

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

The Book Club: Francis Fukuyama Aug 31, 2022

Show notes

This week we spotlight our most popular episode of the last year, Sam's conversation with Francis Fukuyama about his book Liberalism and its Discontents. He tells Sam how a system that has built peace and prosperity since the Enlightenment has come under attack from the neoliberal right and the identitarian left; and how Vladimir Putin may end up being the unwitting founding father of a new Ukraine.

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

Table Talk: With Al and Kitty Tait Aug 30, 2022

Show notes

Al and Kitty Tait run the Orange Bakery in Watlington, and are the authors of Breadsong: How Baking Changed Our Lives. On the podcast, the father-and-daughter pair explain how cooking changed their relationship, why baking helped Kitty out of depression, and why Watlingtons make such great customers.

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

Related Podcasts