Best of the Spectator

<div>This week: Max Jeffery writes from Blackpool where he says you can see the welfare crisis at its worst (01:29); Lisa Haseldine reads her interview with the wife of Vladimir Kara-Murza, whose husband is languishing in a Siberian jail (06:26); Christopher Howse tells us about the ancient synagogue under threat from developers (13:02); Philip Hensher reads his review of <em>Write, Cut, Rewrite </em>(24:34); and Calvin Po asks whether a Labour government will let architects reshape housing (34:42). <br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Margaret Mitchell.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy speaks to journalist and author of <em>The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties</em>, Chris Caldwell, about the human rights movement. Can America’s influence be considered imperial? Is how we think of human rights outdated? And, what does the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2011 intervention in Libya tell us about the state of human rights today? <br><br>Produced by Natasha Feroze and Patrick Gibbons</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Welcome to a slightly new format for the Edition podcast! Each week we will be talking about the magazine – as per usual – but trying to give a little more insight into the process behind putting <em>The Spectator</em> bed each week.<br><br>On the podcast this week: the cost of Britain’s mass worklessness.<br><br>According to <em>The Spectator</em>’s calculations, had workforce participation stayed at the same rate as in 2019, the economy would be 1.7 per cent larger now and an end-of-year recession could have been avoided. As things stand, joblessness is coexisting with job vacancies in a way that should be economically impossible, writes Kate Andrews in the cover story. She joins the podcast alongside Paul Nowak, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), to debate the problems plaguing Britain’s workforce. (03:11)<br><br>Also on the podcast: Lara and Will discuss some of their favourite pieces from the magazine, including Mark Mason’s piece on anti-depressive quality of cricket and Anne Robinson’s fantastic diary. (18:29)<br><br>Then: In the arts section of the magazine, Calvin Po writes the lead. He asks whether a Labour government will allow architects to reshape houses as part of their flagship housebuilding plans. <em>Telegraph</em> columnist and author of <a href="https://www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/home-truths"><em>Home Truths</em></a> Liam Halligan joins the podcast to discuss Labour’s plans, whether they are realistic and if we can start to build better and more beautifully under a Labour government. (21:32)<br><br>And finally: In his column this week Rod Liddle says that smartphones are all too successful and advocates for banning them altogether for children. Interestingly, he argues that we give children smartphones not for their convenience, but for the convenience of parents. He joins the podcast alongside Miranda Wilson, co-founder of <em>Teched Off</em>, a group which campaigns to keep young people safe online. Our editor Fraser Nelson also stops by to give his thoughts. (33:38)<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.<br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson. <br><br>If there are any areas of the magazine that you are particularly interested in or any questions you have for Will and Lara, please email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. We will try and answer as many as we can in next week’s episode. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>My guest on this week's Book Club podcast is Tom Chatfield, whose new book is <em>Wise Animals: How Technology Has Made Us What We Are. </em>He tells me what we get wrong about technology, what Douglas Adams got right, and why we can't rely on Elon Musk and people like him to save the world. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy speaks to philosopher Slavoj Zizek ahead of what we understand will be Julian Assange's final court appeal against extradition back to the US. The WikiLeaks founder has been wanted by the US authorities after he leaked tens of thousands of highly sensitive documents. On the podcast they discuss the parallels between Assange and Navalny, whether the West is beginning to behave more like the Soviet Union than we ever have, and if WikiLeaks was behind the election of Donald Trump. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>The Argentinian football star Lionel Messi has been trending on Weibo – and unfortunately, not for a good reason. It all started when Messi sat out a match in Hong Kong earlier this month. His reason – that he was injured – wasn’t good enough for some fans, and keyboard nationalists quickly took offence when Messi played in Japan, a few days later. The furore has dominated Chinese social media over the last few weeks, and even led to the cancellation of some upcoming Chinese matches with the Argentinian national team, as authorities demanded an apology from Messi.<br><br>What a mess. But beyond its seeming triviality, this episode tells us something about the nature of Chinese online nationalism and it might also shed light on how football works within China. After all, why is it that China, which is so good at so many things, has still failed to turn out a competitive national team? That is the multi-billion yuan question that puzzles football fans within and outside of China.<br><br>Joining Cindy Yu on the episode this week is Cameron Wilson, an expert on Chinese football and founder of the Wild East Football blog, who has lived in China for almost two decades.<br><br>Produced by Cindy Yu and Max Mitchell.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>On this week's Spectator Out Loud, Harry Mount reads his diary, in which he recounts a legendary face-off between Barry Humphries and John Lennon (00:45); Lara Prendergast gives her tips for male beauty (06:15); Owen Matthews reports from Kyiv about the Ukrainians' unbroken spirit (12:40); Catriona Olding writes on the importance of choosing how to spend one's final days (18:40); and Jeremy Hildreth reads his Notes On Napoleon's coffee.<br><br>Produced by Cindy Yu, Margaret Mitchell, Max Jeffery and Natasha Feroze.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray speaks to Americano regular Jacob Heilbrunn about Lord Cameron's recent visit to DC, where he persuaded Congress to pass a bill sending aid to Ukraine. Jacob and Freddy also discuss why Jacob thinks Biden's mental capacity is over exaggerated, and what Nato could look like under Trump.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Justine Greening was born in Rotherham, the daughter of a steel worker and first in her family to go to university. Campaigning for the Conservatives, she won back a Tory stronghold from Labour in the 2005 general election becoming MP for Putney. She began politics in opposition, but became a Cabinet Secretary in David Cameron’s government, and remained there for Theresa May’s premiership as Education Secretary. Now having left Parliament, Justine is never far from politics – she founded the Social Mobility Pledge and now even runs her own podcast.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Welcome to a slightly new format for the Edition podcast! Each week we will be talking about the magazine – as per usual – but trying to give a little more insight into the process behind putting <em>The Spectator </em>to bed each week.<br><br>On the podcast: <em>The</em> <em>Spectator’s</em> assistant foreign editor Max Jeffery writes our cover story this week, asking if Nato is ready to defend itself against a possible Russian invasion. Max joined Nato troops as they carried out drills on the Estonian border. Max joins us on the podcast along with historian Mark Galeotti, author of <em>Putin's Wars</em>. (00:55) <br><br>Then: Lionel Shriver talks to us about the sad case of Jennifer Crumbley, the mum who's just been convicted of manslaughter – for her son carrying out a school shooting. Does this set a dangerous moral precedent? (16:05)<br><br>And finally: would you stay in a haunted hotel? The travel writer Sean Thomas speaks to us from one in Cambodia, having written for the magazine about the places with grisly pasts that he has stayed in over the course of his career. We're also joined by Judith Blincow, owner of the Mermaid Inn in Rye, one of the most haunted hotels in the country. (26:10)<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.<br><br>Produced by Cindy Yu.<br><br>If there are any areas of the magazine that you are particularly interested in or any questions you have for Will and Lara, please email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. We will try and answer as many as we can in next week’s episode. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray speaks to author Joshua Green who wrote <em>The Rebels: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Struggle for a New American Politics.</em> On the podcast they discuss the three rebels in the book; how they influenced Joe Biden in office; and whether the Democratic Party has given up ‘finance-centered’ liberalism.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray speaks to JL Partners Director Scarlett Maguire about America's swing states which could decide the general election. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>My guest on this week's Book Club podcast is Chris Bryant, who tells me about his new book <em>James and John: A True Story of Prejudice and Murder. </em>In it, he seeks to tell what can be known of the lives, world and fatal luck of the last two men executed for homosexuality in Britain. <br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Professor Charles Spence is an experimental psychologist at the University of Oxford. His research focuses on how an in-depth understanding of the human mind will lead to the better design of multi-sensory foods and products. He is the author of several books including his most recent, <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/308513/sensehacking-by-spence-charles/9780241361153"><em>Sensehacking</em>: <em>How to Use the Power of Your Senses for Happier, Healthier Living</em></a><em>.<br><br></em>On this episode he talks about how he started experimenting with food and the human senses, working with Heston Blumenthal, and how he doesn't understand ice-cream.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy is joined by Todd Bensman, fellow at the Centre for Immigration Studies and author of <em>Overrun: how Joe Biden unleashed the greatest border crisis in US history</em>. They discuss how to solve what is perhaps the issue of our time, why meaningful reform doesn't seem to happen on immigration, and the extent of Biden's physical and mental frailty after a week of public gaffes. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>This week: Svitlana Morenets takes us inside Ukraine's new plan for mass conscription (01:01); Paul Mason says that Labour is right to ditch its £28 billion green pledge (10:49); Robbie Mallett tells us about life as a scientist working in Antarctica (15:48); and Lloyd Evans reads his Life column (21:24). <br><br>Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Julie Bindel speaks to Björn Suttka, anti-sexist campaigner and co-founder of Male Allies Challenging Sexism. On the show they discuss how Björn changed his mind about the liberal approach to porn and sex work and how men can help in the fight for women’s liberation. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Welcome to a slightly new format for the Edition podcast! Each week will be talking about the magazine – as per usual – but trying to give a little more insight into the process behind putting <em>The Spectator </em>to bed each week. <br><br>On the podcast: <em>The Spectator's</em> political editor Katy Balls writes our cover story this week about 'the plot' to oust Rishi Sunak. When former culture secretary Nadine Dorries made the claim in her book that a secret cabal of advisors were responsible for taking down prime ministers, she was laughed at. But with shadowy backroom fixers assembling to try and take down the prime minister, did she have a point? Katy joins the podcast alongside the <em>Financial Times'</em> Stephen Bush to discuss what makes a successful 'plot'. (03:11)<br><br>Also: Lara and Will take us through some of their favourite pieces from this week's issue, featuring an extract from the 'letter from Antarctica', narrated by its author Robbie Mallet, a polar climate scientist at UiT the Arctic University of Norway. (15:33)<br><br>Then: <em>The Spectator's</em> commissioning editor Mary Wakefield writes her column this week about XL Bullies. She says that coming face to face with one forced her to change her tune when it comes to the vilified breed and joins the podcast alongside XL Bully owner Sophie Coultard. (19:45)<br><br>And finally: who knew women love flowers?<br><br>Henry Jeffreys, for one. Ahead of Valentine's Day he writes this week about his surprise at learning that women do, in fact, love flowers. He speaks with Lara – a former florist herself – about the dos and don’ts of flower purchasing. (32:37)<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.<br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson.<br><br>If there are any areas of the magazine that you are particularly interested in or any questions you have for Will and Lara, please email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. We will try and answer as many as we can in next week’s episode. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>My guest on this week's Book Club podcast is Paula Byrne. In her new book <em>Hardy Women: Mothers, Sisters, Wives, Muses</em>, she investigates the women in the life and work of the great poet and novelist Thomas Hardy. She talks to me about Hardy's romantic life, the torture he inflicted on the women he fell for, and how – in the bitter words of his first wife Emma – 'he understands only the women he invents'. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray is joined by pollster and writer Patrick Ruffini. They talk about why the strengthening economy isn’t improving Biden’s numbers, and the other factors that will influence the 2024 election.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>At last count, the Chinese Communist Party has 98 million members, more people than the population of Germany. Its membership also continues to grow, making it one of the most successful and resilient political parties of the last a hundred years, perhaps with the exception of India’s BJP, which boasts 180 million members.<br><br>And yet the CCP's track record is strewn with bloody crackdowns and systematic persecution. So what would drive someone to join the CCP, and what accounts for its success? Do party members today all support the atrocities committed by their government? I think these are important questions to ask, because without understanding the answers to them, one couldn’t understand China’s modern history or its society today. <br><br>To delve into the psychology of card carrying communists, I’m joined by two great guests in this week's episode.<br><br>Xinran Xue is a Chinese journalist, who had a popular radio show in China in the 90s, before moving to the UK and becoming an author of numerous books on China. Her latest book is called The Book of Secrets, which is a memoir of sorts, where her protagonist was one of the founding members of the CCP’s intelligence service. I recently <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/an-insiders-account-of-the-ccps-stranglehold-on-china/">reviewed</a> it for <em>The Spectator</em>.<br><br>Professor Kerry Brown is Director of the Lau China Institute at Kings College London and a former diplomat in Beijing where he worked alongside Chinese government officials for many years. His latest book is China Incorporated: The Politics of a World Where China is Number One.<br><br>On the episode, we discuss the party membership's divide between the intellectuals and the peasants; how the Cultural Revolution changed the party from an ideological body to a corporate one; and what a new generation of communists might have in store.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Last week Donald Trump was ordered to pay more than seventy million dollars to E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused him of sexual assault. Freddy speaks to <em>Spectator</em> columnist Lionel Shriver about some of the oddities of this case against the former president. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>On this week’s episode, Lionel Shriver asks if Donald Trump can get a fair trial in America (00:39), Angus Colwell speaks to the Gen-Zers who would fight for Britain (08:25), Matthew Parris makes the case for assisted dying (13:15), Toby Young tells the story of the time he almost died on his gap year (20:43), and Harry Mount tells us about the grim life of a Roman legionary (25:38).</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray is joined in the office by Mike Baker a former CIA operations officer, CEO of the global intelligence and security firm Portman Square Group and host of the popular news podcast the President’s Daily Brief. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Gina Miller was born in Guyana to a political family, but was sent to England for her education. Fleeing dictatorship, she couldn’t receive financial support from her family, and so began finding work in hotels and handing out flyers. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Gina set up her first company in 1987 – a property photographic company. Since then, her CV boasts a myriad of achievements, degrees, the Vanity Fair Challenger Award and financial services. But she is most well known as the woman who set up the first legal challenge to the government’s attempts to trigger article 50 in 2016. Since then, my guest has worked on many anti-Brexit campaigns and in 2021 she launched The True and Fair Party.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>On the podcast: have the Tories given up on liberty?<br> <br>Kate Andrews writes the cover story for <em>The Spectator</em> this week. She argues that after the government announced plans to ban disposable vapes and smoking for those born after 2009, the Tories can no longer call themselves the party of freedom. Kate is joined by conservative peer and former health minister Lord Bethell, to discuss whether the smoking ban is a wise precedent for the government to set. (01:22)<br> <br> Also this week: can the UAE be trusted on press freedom?<br> <br> At <em>The Spectator</em> that’s a question close to our hearts at the moment as we face possibly being sold off to an Abu Dhabi backed fund. In the magazine this week Anna Somers Cocks, co-founder of the <em>Art</em> newspaper, writes about her own experience dealing with the UAE as an art journalist. And it's not exactly a positive one. She joins the podcast alongside <em>The Spectator's</em> editor Fraser Nelson. (20:03)<br> <br> And finally: can Gen Z be counted upon to defend Britain?<br> <br> Investigating in this week's magazine, <em>The Spectator's</em> assistant online editor Angus Colwell argues not. He speaks to people his own age about whether they would take up arms to defend King and country. This is of course in light of general Sir Patrick Sanders’ comment that Britain may need to resort to conscription if world events spiral further out of control. Angus joins the podcast alongside Dr Mike Martin, security expert and former British army officer. (31:16)<br> <br> Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore. <br> <br> Produced by Cindy Yu and Oscar Edmondson. <br><br></div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>In this week's Book Club podcast my guest is Sathnam Sanghera, author of the new book <em>Empireworld </em>about the effect of British imperialism around the globe. He tells me why he's trying to get beyond the 'balance-sheet' view of imperial history, why we should all read W E B Dubois, and why he's not good at going on holiday. <br><br>Produced by Patrick Gibbons.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray sits down with host and producer of the 538 Politics podcast Galen Druke to discuss whether a Taylor Swift endorsement could sway the general election.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Edward Stourton is a broadcaster who has worked as foreign correspondent for the BBC, Channel 4 and ITN. He is the presenter of BBC Radio 4's Sunday Program, and presented the Today Program for ten years. He has authored eight books including his most recent, <a href="https://spckpublishing.co.uk/sunday-731"><em>Sunday: A History of Religious Affairs through 50 Years of Conversations and Controversies</em></a><em> </em>which is available now. <br><br>On the podcast, he recalls chocolate-stuffed baguettes on Swiss ski slopes, reveals the disappointing breakfast options in the Today Program green room, and explains why heaven is eating oysters to the sound of trumpets. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Julie Bindel speaks to Pala Molisa, an academic and life coach from Vanuatu. Pala has become an outspoken critic of sex work and the left's failure to accept the implications that a sexually liberated culture can have on women's safety. On the show, Pala and Julie discuss how the porn industry deliberately grooms children into becoming a 'customer for life'; Pala's research into post-colonial power structures and the onslaught of criticism Pala received from his academic writing.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray speaks to Jonathan Askonas, assistant professor of politics at the Catholic University of America about Jon Stewart's return to TV, and what role, albeit inadvertent, he played in Tucker Carlson’s success.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>On this episode, Richard Dawkins explains how to convert an atheist like him to a Christian (00:37), Lisa Haseldine says the German army is in a dire state (05:53), Douglas Murray looks at the return of the Trump show (12:44), Cindy Yu reviews a Chinese intelligence officers account of life under the CCP (20:14), and Mary Wakefield wonders if it’s wrong to track her child (25:14).</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>On the podcast: gangsterism or government? <br><br>The Covid Inquiry has moved to Scotland and, in his cover story for the magazine, our editor Fraser Nelson looks at the many revelations uncovered by Jamie Dawson KC. Fraser describes how civil servants were enlisted into what he calls an ‘SNP secret state’ and how SNP corruption is threatening devolution. Joining us to discuss is the Coffee House Scots team: <em>Times </em>columnist Iain Macwhirter, <em>The Spectator’s </em>data editor Michael Simmons and <em>The Spectator’s</em> social media editor Lucy Dunn who coordinates our Scotland coverage. (01:26)<br><br>Also this week: <br><br>With the UK army chief raising the prospect of conscription in the event of war with Russia, spare a thought for Germany whose plans to rebuild its army are already imploding. Lisa Haseldine, <em>The Spectator’s</em> assistant online editor, writes about the dire state of Germany’s army for the magazine and joins the podcast alongside Elisabeth Braw, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. (14:58)<br><br>And finally: is the customer – in fact – always wrong? <br><br>The old maxim is that the customer is always right. But Quentin Letts, sketch writer for the <em>Daily Mail</em>, says that the adage has been reversed in recent times. It seems instead that the customer is always wrong, or can never be right. He joins the podcast to discuss the sorry state of modern customer service. (27:48)<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. <br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>On this week’s Book Club my guest is the writer and psychoanalyst Adam Phillips, whose new book is <em>On Giving Up</em>. He tells me how literature relates to psychoanalysis, why censorship makes life possible, and what Freud got wrong. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray is joined in New Hampshire by Ben Domenech, editor at large of <em>Spectator</em> <em>World. </em>On the podcast they discuss the pro-Trump establishment of the Republican party; how the Republican cohort have changed since the Obama election and what issues Trump can identify that appeal to voters. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Today, the US and China are at loggerheads. There’s renewed talk of a Cold War as Washington finds various ways to cut China out of key supply chains and to block China’s economic development in areas like semiconductors and renewables.<br><br>There’s trade, of course, but the imbalance in that (some $370 billion in 2022) tilts in China’s favour and only serves as another source of ammunition for America’s Sinosceptics. China, on the other hand, is also decoupling in its own way, moving fast to cut its reliance on imported technology and energy.<br><br>At this moment, it seems like US-China tensions are inevitable – but look into the not so ancient history, and you’ll find a totally different picture. In fact, when it comes to Communist China’s early entry into the global economy, American policymakers and businesspeople were vital in the 1970s and 80s. You could even say that a big part of China’s economic success was ‘Made in America’.<br><br>Cindy Yu is joined on the podcast by Elizabeth Ingleson, Assistant Professor of International History at the LSE, whose upcoming book contains some very interesting research on this question. It’s called <em>Made in China: When US-China Interests Converged to Transform Global Trade</em>. Cindy and Elizabeth discuss President Nixon's visit to China and how that opened up decades of American economic support to the Chinese miracle – including at the expense of its own workers.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Julie Bindel speaks Bob Jensen who is an academic and writer based in Toronto. Bob has authored several papers on the damaging and exploitative effects of the porn industry. On the podcast, Julie and Bob's feminist critique of pornography; why they have both become disillusioned by the left and how Bob got cancelled when he weighed into the gender wars. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>For this special Americano podcast, Freddy Gray is in New Hampshire with the Spectator US team, Matt McDonald and Zach Christenson covering the chilly primaries. Are both Ron De Santis and Nikki Haley's defeat a foregone conclusion?</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>This week: <em>Spectator</em> editor Fraser Nelson on why the Emirati ownership of the magazine matters (00:30), Robert Hardman on the time the King could have poisoned Rishi Sunak (06:24) and Michael Simmons on why sobriety isn't worth it (13:02).</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Theo Clarke is Conservative MP for Stafford. She is the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Kenya and sits on the International Development Select Committee. Before being elected she set up and sold her business and then went on to be Chief Executive of an international development charity backed by Bill Gates. Theo got involved in politics after the election expenses scandal and stood in Bristol East in 2015 and 2017. She currently Chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Birth Trauma and recently launched a national inquiry into this issue.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>This week: <br><br><em>The Spectator’s </em>cover story looks at how Britain is sobering up, forgoing alcohol in favour of alcohol free alternatives. In his piece, Henry Jeffreys – author of <em>Empire of Booze</em> – attacks the vice of sobriety and argues that the abstinence of young Britons will have a detrimental impact on the drinks industry and British culture. He joins the podcast alongside Camilla Tominey, associate editor of the <em>Telegraph</em> and a teetotaler. (01:27)<br><br>Also this week: could Mongolia be the next geopolitical flashpoint? <br><br><em>The Spectator’s</em> Wild Life columnist Aidan Hartley writes in the magazine about Mongolia’s fate, as the country tries to juggle a historic relationship with China and Russia, with desires for a stronger association with the West. Aidan joins us alongside Sergey Radchenko, the Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professor at the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, to discuss Mongolia’s dilemma. (17:10)<br><br>And finally: why isn’t Lenin as reviled as some of history’s other villains? <br><br>To coincide with the centenary of Vladimir Lenin’s death, James Bartholomew writes about the increase in pro-Lenin sympathy amongst young people. He says that despite Lenin’s many crimes, around 15% of young people approve of him. To discuss James's article, Lara speaks to Robert Service, author of <em>Lenin: A Biography</em>. (27:39)<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. <br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson. <br><br>Applications to join the Spectator’s broadcast team will close on Sunday. So if you noticed any mistakes in this podcast, any inaccuracies or perhaps even a sloppy editing job in this podcast, then you could be exactly who we need. To apply, follow the link: <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/wanted-a-broadcast-producer-for-the-spectator-2/">https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/wanted-a-broadcast-producer-for-the-spectator-2/</a></div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>In this week’s Book Club podcast, I’m joined by Rebecca Boyle to talk about her new book<em> Our Moon: A Human History</em>. She tells me how we know that the moon is more than just an inert lump of rock in the sky and how the whole of human life – and civilisation – may depend on it.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Alexandra Collier is a Melbourne-based writer who has written for theatre, screen and print. She is a MacDowell fellow and a recipient of the RE Ross Trust playwrites' award. Her memoir <a href="https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/alexandra-collier/inconceivable/9780733648250/"><em>Inconceivable</em></a>, about her journey to becoming a solo Mum by choice, is out now. <br><br>On the podcast she tells Lara and Liv why restaurants are inherently theatrical places, discusses her experience with IVF, and explains that it takes a village to raise a child. <br><br>Photo credit: Karin Locke.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Just before Christmas, the Vatican's new doctrinal chief Cardinal Victor ‘Tucho’ Fernandez unveiled a new style of blessing designed to make gay couples feel at home in church without changing the Church's teaching on marriage. The Argentinian Tucho has for years been Pope Francis's protégé – but for how much longer? The new gay blessings, supposedly blessing the couple but not their union, have been decisively rejected by all the Catholic bishops of Africa, forcing Francis to backtrack and say they could ignore Fernandez’s decree. Then, last week, it was revealed that in 1998 Tucho published a book on, of all things, the theology of orgasms. It is jaw-droppingly graphic, has been widely described as ‘creepy’, and has encouraged leading cardinals hoping to succeed Francis to distance themselves from this pontificate. <br><br>Listen to this episode of <em>Holy Smoke</em> if you want to know about the new crisis tearing apart the Catholic Church – but be warned: the erotic musings of the future Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith are not suitable for children. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Julie Bindel speaks to Michael Conroy who teaches boys against rape, domestic violence and porn use. Michael set up Men At Work – an organisation that looks at 'macho culture', the different ways boys are brought up to fight, and in some cases become abusive towards women and girls. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>This week: Cindy Yu reads her piece ahead of the Taiwanese elections (00:54), Mary Wakefield discusses the US opioid crisis which she fears has come to the UK (07:13), and Natasha Feroze tells us about the rise of relationship contracts (13:26). <br><br>Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson. </div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>This week: can anyone stop Trump? <br><br><em>The Spectator’s </em>deputy editor Freddy Guy takes a look at Trump's ‘second coming’ in his cover story. He says that despite Trump’s legal troubles, he is almost certain to receive the Republican nomination. Freddy joins the podcast alongside Amber Duke, who also writes in the magazine this week about the brides of trump: the women hoping to receive the nod as his running mate.<br><br>Also this week: the old trope is that there is nothing more ex than an ex prime minister, but what about an ex MP? <br><br>In the magazine this week, <em>The Spectator’s</em> political correspondent James Heale says that Tory MPs expecting to lose their seats at the next election are jumping on the 'green gravy train' and taking up consultancy positions in the fast-growing climate sector. He joins the podcast alongside Edwina Currie, author, broadcaster, and former Tory MP, to talk about life after politics. <br><br>And finally: is self-publishing the future? <br><br>Alison Kervin, author and former sports editor at the <em>Mail on Sunday</em>, discusses the rise of self-publishing for <em>The Spectator</em>. In her piece, she praises its financial benefits and argues that it allows writers to overcome some of the problems caused by gatekeepers at the big publishing houses. Alison joins us alongside author and <em>Spectator</em> columnist, Lionel Shriver.<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. <br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson.<br><br>The Spectator is hiring! We are looking for a new producer to join our broadcast team working across our suite of podcasts – including this one – as well as our YouTube channel Spectator TV. Follow the link to read the full job listing: <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/wanted-a-broadcast-producer-for-the-spectator-2/">https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/wanted-a-broadcast-producer-for-the-spectator-2/</a></div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>The Book Club will return next week! In the meantime we are revisiting Sam’s conversation from 2020 with Hadley Freeman whose book <em>House of Glass </em>tells the story of 20th century jewry through the hidden history of her own family. The four Glahs siblings — one of them the writer’s grandmother — grew up in a Polish <em>shtetl </em>just a few miles from what was to become Auschwitz. They fled the postwar pogroms to Paris; and then had to contend with the rise of a new and still more dangerous antisemitism under the Vichy regime. Hadley traced their story through two wars and across continents, and tells Sam how the story reflects both on Jewish history and urgent concerns of the present day. She even offers an intriguing cameo of the teenage Donald Trump…</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>Freddy Gray is joined by pollster James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners. They speak about the upcoming Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary, and whether Trump’s opponents have any chance of beating him. They also discuss the impact of Trump’s trials, and JL Partners’ viral word cloud which both Biden and Trump have been attempting to use to their advantage. (Photo credit: JL Partners)<br><br><em>The Spectator</em> is hiring! We are looking for a new producer to join our broadcast team working across our suite of podcasts – including this one – as well as our YouTube channel Spectator TV. Follow the link to read the full job listing: <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/wanted-a-broadcast-producer-for-the-spectator-2/">https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/wanted-a-broadcast-producer-for-the-spectator-2/</a></div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<div>India is the fifth largest economy in the world, and now has a population larger than China’s. It’s no surprise, then, that officials in Washington often see India as a powerful non-western bulwark to growing Chinese power. On this episode of Chinese Whispers, Cindy Yu look’s at where China and India’s rivalry comes from. How much have long-lasting skirmishes on the China-Indian border damaged relations? How have demographics, economic competition and recent international conflicts affected the relationship between the two countries? And are the domestic politics of China and India in fact more similar than most westerners like to admit?<br><br>Cindy Yu speaks to Avinash Paliwal, an international relations expert at the School of Oriental and African Studies, and the author of <em>India’s Near East: A New History</em>.</div> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>