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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.

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Latest Episodes:

Podcast Special: how best to close down a nuclear power plant? Aug 20, 2019

Show notes

When a nuclear power plant was built on the coast of Cumbria in the 1940s, nobody had much idea about what to do with nuclear fuel once it had been spent. Today that place is Sellafield, engaged in Europe's largest clean-up of nuclear waste in what is perhaps the world's most complicated nuclear site. It's got its own police force, its own railway station, and its own unique set of challenges - one that seemed to baffle governments and private contractors alike.
So how should nuclear reactors be safely decommissioned? In a special podcast sponsored by the Nuclear Industry Association, Fraser Nelson puts the question to the experts. Our guests are Jamie Reed, Corporate Affairs Manager for the Sellafield site (and the town’s former MP); Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the NIA; and Professor Gordon MacKerron, an academic specialising in nuclear energy.

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Coffee House Shots: the Yellowhammer leak Aug 19, 2019

Show notes

With Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.
Presented by Cindy Yu.
Coffee House Shots is a series of podcasts on British politics from the Spectator's political team and special guests. Brought to you daily, click here to find more episodes that are not released on Spectator Radio.

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Holy Smoke: The two time bombs threatening Pope Francis’s moral authority Aug 17, 2019

Show notes

This week’s Holy Smoke podcast discusses two looming disasters for Pope Francis.
The first is the ‘Amazon Synod’ in October, at which the world’s bishops will discuss a bizarre plan to ordain Amazon ‘village elders’ as priests. The framework for the synod has already been published; Damian's guest Dr Ed Condon uses the word ‘Orwellian’ to describe the language it employs.
The second threat to Francis is more personal. When he became pope he lost no time making his friend Gustavo Zanchetta a bishop in Argentina. Bad move. Within a short time Zanchetta was facing allegations of sexual and financial impropriety. The Pope was informed of these allegations (and if you google them you’ll discover that they were pretty lurid).
His response? He plucked Zanchetta out of his diocese and created a plum job for him in Rome... managing the Vatican’s finances. Another bad move, now that Zanchetta, back in Argentina, is facing charges of molesting seminarians and other allegations of misusing money.
A mood of despair has set in at the Vatican. You’ll understand why if you listen to the podcast.
Presented by Damian Thompson.

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Women With Balls: Joan Collins Aug 16, 2019

Show notes

Dame Joan Collins is an actress, author, and entrepreneur. Her acting career spans three quarters of a century, including 1950s Hollywood movies, to her role as Alexis Carrington in Dynasty. In this episode, she talks to Katy about breaking into acting as a young woman, what she thinks about Love Island, and why she supports both Boris Johnson and Brexit.
Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls.

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The Spectator Podcast: who are the real far right? Aug 15, 2019

Show notes

As Matteo Salvini seeks to take the reins of Italy all for himself, we ask, what exactly defines the ‘far right’ these days (00:05)? We also take a look at Downing Street’s own power grab as it seeks to centralise control over the rest of Whitehall (15:55). And last, Melissa Kite tells Lara about getting her dogs blessed by a reverend (29:55).
With Douglas Murray, Anne McElvoy, Katy Balls, Jonathan Haslam, Melissa Kite, and Revd Lindsay Meader.
Presented by Lara Prendergast.
Produced by Cindy Yu and Gabriel Radonich.
Click here for more episodes of the Spectator Podcast.

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Spectator Books: books for the beach Aug 14, 2019

Show notes

Even books editors have to go on holiday sometimes, so Spectator Books is taking a hiatus for a couple of weeks. But so there's not a gaping gap in your life where the podcast used to be, we're bringing out some of our favourite episodes from our archive.
Sam is joined by the critic Alex Clark and Damian Barr — memoirist and host of the Savoy’s Literary Salon — to talk about summer reading. What do you take? What do you regret taking? Kindle, dead-tree or — 19th-century-style — cabin trunk full of books sent on ahead? Our discussion yielded a host of recommendations — from the brand new to the reliable old friends — that we hope will help you plan your own travelling library. For those who like the sound of some of these, we’ve picked them out and listed them here for your convenience…

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Coffee House Shots: can Brexiteers handle free trade? Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

With Fraser Nelson and Katy Balls.
Presented by Cindy Yu.
Coffee House Shots is a series of podcasts on British politics from the Spectator's political team and special guests. Brought to you daily, click here to find more episodes that are not released on Spectator Radio.

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

Podcast Special: the Midlands’ Economic Disruptors Aug 12, 2019

Show notes

Martin Vander Weyer, our Business Editor, speaks to three leading businesspeople in the Midlands about the Economic Disruptor finalists in this region. Tune in to find out more about the company that makes your Asos returns quick and easy, an ‘Airbnb for schools’, and the next generation of light-weight car speakers.
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Human progress has depended on economic disruptors since long before the advent of the internet. Motor cars remained rare luxuries until a disruptor called Henry Ford perfected the Model T assembly line. Today’s online auction, home-stay, ride-share and crowdfunding sites have generated markets and money flows that barely existed before, to the great benefit of providers and consumers. Today’s manufacturing methods — from 3D printing to advanced bioscience — have dramatically reduced the time and capital required to produce vital products.
So, who are the companies that are rewriting the rules in 2019? Following the success of last year’s inaugural Economic Disruptor of the Year Awards, The Spectator and Julius Baer has come together again to celebrate creative entrepreneurship across the UK.

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Table Talk: with Olivia Potts Aug 09, 2019

Show notes

Lara speaks to Olivia Potts, Spectator Life’s Vintage Chef and co-host of the Table Talk podcast, about Olivia’s new book, A Half-Baked Idea. Before she became a food writer and Cordon-Bleu trained chef, Olivia was a former president of the Cambridge Union and a high-flying criminal barrister. But her mother’s death changed all that. Tune in to hear a story of love, grief, hope, and cake. Presented by Lara Prendergast.

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The Spectator Podcast: beaches, Brexit, and Desert Island bores Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

This week, our writers tell us about their favourite British beaches, from Cornwall to Northern Ireland (24:15). But before then, there’s of course some Brexit chat as we ask whether parliament can stop a no deal Brexit in the autumn (00:25), and – has Desert Island Discs lost the plot (15:05)?
With James Forsyth, Catherine Haddon, Katy Balls, Michael Heath, Kate Chisholm, Douglas Murray, Laura Freeman, and Tanya Gold.
Presented by Lara Prendergast.
Produced by Cindy Yu and Gabriel Radonich.

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