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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:

Women With Balls: Lucy Powell Sep 13, 2024

Show notes

From working on the 1997 general election campaign, to serving in the shadow cabinets of three leaders, politician Lucy Powell has been a prominent figure in the Labour Party for many years. First elected to parliament in 2012, she was appointed Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council following Labour's general election win in July.
As Women With Balls returns from a summer break, Katy Balls talks to Lucy about why she transferred out of Oxford University, what her motivations were for serving under Jeremy Corbyn, and why the 2024 general election felt like Glastonbury festival. Lucy also talks about her focus for the newly formed Modernisation Committee.
Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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

The Edition: Trump’s debate woes, how to catch a paedo & the politics of the hotel breakfast buffet Sep 12, 2024

Show notes

This week:
The US election is back on a knife-edge. Republicans hoped this week’s debate would expose Kamala Harris’s weaknesses. ‘They forgot that, when it comes to one-on-one intellectual sparring matches with candidates who aren’t senile, Donald Trump is very bad indeed,’ writes Freddy Gray. ‘A skilled politician would have been able to unpick Harris’s act, but Trump could not.’ Harris is enigmatic to the point of absurdity, but Trump failed to pin her down and may well have squandered his narrow lead. To discuss further, Freddy joined the podcast alongside Amber Duke, Washington editor at Spectator World. (02:05)
Next: Lara and Will take us through some of their favourite pieces from this week, including Fraser Nelson’s diary on the sale of The Spectator Magazine to Sir Paul Marshall.
Then: how to catch a paedophile. London Overwatch, a paedophile hunting group, pose as children online to snare unsuspecting sexual predators. They then confront the suspect and livestream the arrest to thousands of viewers. The Spectator’s Max Jeffery went along to see them catch a man who believes he has been speaking to a 14-year-old girl. Max was joined on the podcast by Nick, who runs London Overwatch. (18:34)
And finally: is it ethical to pocket a sandwich at a hotel breakfast buffet? Laurie Graham explores the ethics of plundering the hotel buffet in the magazine this week. Specifically, she reveals the very British habit that many Brits swipe food from their free breakfasts to save for lunch later in the day. Laurie joined us alongside Mark Jenkins, a former hotel manager in Torquay who listeners may remember from the Channel 4 documentary ‘The Hotel’ (27:51)
Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.

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

Book Club: Craig Brown Sep 11, 2024

Show notes

In this week's Book Club podcast my guest is the satirist Craig Brown, talking about his brilliant new book A Voyage Round The Queen. Craig tells me what made him think there was something new to say about Elizabeth II, how he found himself in possession of the only scoop of his career and about his mortifying encounter with Her Maj.

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Americano: Andrew Neil & Piers Morgan on America's 2024 election Sep 10, 2024

Show notes

The Spectator's chairman Andrew Neil and journalist Piers Morgan join Freddy Gray, host of the Americano show, to analyse the presidential race so far. Piers reveals what Donald Trump told him after he was shot, and they both give their predictions on whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump will win their first debate.

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Table Talk: Simon Raymonde Sep 10, 2024

Show notes

Musician Simon Raymonde is perhaps best known as part of the Scottish band the Cocteau Twins, but he has found further success as the co-founder of Bella Union Records. Bella Union produce music by Father John Misty, the Fleet Foxes, and Beach House, amongst others. His memoir In One Ear: Cocteau Twins, Ivor Raymonde and Me is released on the 12 September 2024.
On this episode of Table Talk, Simon tells Olivia Potts and Lara Prendergast about the influence of Jewish food as he was growing up, life on tour, how he spends his time in his new home of Brighton, and his love of the restaurant chain Dishoom.
Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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

Americano: Has everyone got election fatigue? Sep 09, 2024

Show notes

Freddy Gray is joined by Bridget Phetasy, comedian and Spectator World columnist. They discuss whether everyone is suffering a bit of election, and Trump fatigue - including Trump himself. They also cover Putin trolling America, and Bridget gives her predictions for the upcoming presidential debate.

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Holy Smoke: Losing faith - will Labour’s VAT policy hit religious schools hardest? Sep 08, 2024

Show notes

In this week’s copy of The Spectator, Dan Hitchens argues that a lesser reported aspect of Labour’s decision to impose VAT on private schools is who it could hit hardest: faith schools. Hundreds of independent religious schools charge modest, means-tested fees. Could a hike in costs make these schools unviable? And, with uncertainty about how ideological a decision this is, does the government even care? Dan joins Damian on the podcast to discuss.
Raisel Freedman from the Partnerships for Jewish Schools also joins later, to discuss how the measure could threaten Jewish independent schools, when they provide a haven for students from a climate of rising antisemitism.
Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Spectator Out Loud: Ian Thomson, Andrew Watts, Sam Leith, Helen Barrett and Catriona Olding Sep 07, 2024

Show notes

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Ian Thomson reflects on his childhood home following the death of his sister (1:20); Andrew Watts argues that the public see MPs as accountable for everything though they’re responsible for little (7:40); Sam Leith reveals the surprising problem of poetical copyright (13:47); Helen Barrett reviews Will Noble’s book Croydonopolis and explores the reputation of a place with unfulfilled potential (19:48); and, Catriona Olding ponders moving on from loss to love (26:09).
Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

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

Americano: Nate Silver on risk-takers, the US election & the power of luck in politics Sep 06, 2024

Show notes

Labor Day is a critical mile-marker on the road to the general election, now just two months away. Pollsters are busy processing data and making predictions, but nobody really knows whether America will end up with Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in the White House. Nate Silver is one of America's most well-respected pollsters. The former poker player set up FiveThirtyEight, a polling company and now writes the Silver Bullet on Substack. Nate Silver's latest book On the Edge: the Art of Risking Everything takes a look at two mindsets: the River and the Village.
Nate joins Freddy Gray on the Americano show to discuss probability in sport and politics, how luck is often undervalued in politics, whether VP picks are an key decision in general elections and why J.D. Vance may be a bad choice for Trump.

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The Edition: Miliband's net zero madness, meet Reform’s new poster boy & the plight of the restaurant critic Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

This week: Miliband’s empty energy promises. Ed Miliband has written a public letter confirming that Labour plans to decarbonise the electricity system by 2030. The problem with this, though, is that he doesn’t have the first idea about how to do it. The grid doesn’t have the capacity to transmit the required energy, Ross Clark writes, and Miliband’s claim that wind is ‘nine times cheaper’ than fossil fuels is based upon false assumptions. What is more, disclosed plans about ‘GB Energy’ reveal that Miliband’s pet project isn’t really a company at all – but an investment scheme. This empty vessel will funnel taxpayer money into the hands of private companies rather than produce any energy itself. To discuss, Lara and Will were joined by Shaun Spiers, executive director of the Green Alliance and Stanley Johnson, former MEP, environmental campaigner and author of the new book In the footsteps of Marco Polo deals extensively on China’s energy problems and opportunities. (02:26)
Then: Lara and Will take us through some of their favourite pieces from the magazine, including the lead book review and Catriona Olding’s Still Life column.
Next: meet Nigel Farage’s millionaire Reform chairman. The Reform party has a new poster boy, the 37-year-old party Chairman Zia Yusuf. Self-dubbed a ‘British Muslim patriot’, Yusuf is a former Goldman Sachs partner and tech owner with an expensive taste for cars. He is tasked with transforming Farage’s outfit from a limited company into a proper party. You can read James Heale’s full interview with Yusuf in this week’s magazine, but they have kindly allowed us to hear a section of their discussion on the podcast. They talk about the Nigel Farage effect and Lee Anderson’s comments about Sadiq Khan. (18:34)
And finally: should we feel sorry for restaurant critics? Angus Colwell, The Spectator’s assistant online editor, writes about the plight of the restaurant critic and the stresses of doing what many would consider the best job in the world. To discuss further, Angus joined us alongside the Observer’s restaurant critic Jay Rayner, whose new book Nights Out, At Home celebrates his 25 years as a food critic and is available to buy now. (29:41)
Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.

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

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