Best of the Spectator

<div>My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is the author and historian Kathryn Hughes, whose new book <em>Catland</em> tells the story of how we learned to love pusskins. Content warning: contains Kipling, Edward Lear, some stinking carts of offal, and the troubled life and weird art of the extraordinary Louis Wain.</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>Joel Golby is a journalist who has written for – among others – <em>Vice</em> and the <em>Guardian</em>, where he has a regular column, the watcher, reviewing television. He has since translated his skill for wry observations and self-reflection into the new book <a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/four-stars-a-life-reviewed-joel-golby?variant=41065397387342"><em>Four Stars: A life reviewed</em></a><em> </em>which hilariously grapples with our fascination with opinions<br><br>On the podcast Joel tells Lara about his appreciation for square sponge and pink custard, why Mum's roast is always the best roast and where a pint is best enjoyed.</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 Alan Dershowitz, American lawyer and author of <em>Get Trump: the threat to civil liberties, due process, and our constitutional rule of law</em>. They discuss Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial, what it means for the election and what it tells us about the flaws in the American legal system. </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 <em>Spectator Out Loud</em>: In light of the help Israel received, Svitlana Morenets issues a challenge to the West to help Ukraine (1:15); Mary Wakefield questions the slow response to the Ministry of Defence being daubed in paint (7:33); Max Jeffery discusses the aims and tactics of the group responsible for the protest, Youth Demand (13:25); Sam Leith reviews Salman Rushdie's new book (18:59); and Richard Bratby pays tribute to Michael Tanner, <em>The Spectator </em>critic who died earlier this month (27:34).<br><br>Produced and presented 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 speaks to the diplomat and author Dennis B Ross, who worked under presidents George H W Bush and Bill Clinton. He was a special advisor on the Persian Gulf. They discuss the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the flak that Joe Biden has come under for his response. Can the US still claim to be able to shape events in the Middle East? And what comes next? </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: the usual targets<br><br>First: Trump is on trial again – and America is bored rather than scandalised. This is his 91st criminal charge and his supporters see this as politicised prosecution. As an American, Kate Andrews has seen how the law can be used as a political weapon – so why, she asks, is Britain importing the same system? In less than 18 months, the police have been sent to investigate Rishi Sunak for his seat-belt, Nicola Sturgeon for campaign funds, and Angela Rayner over her electoral registry: each time, the complainant is political and the process is the punishment. Kate joins the podcast alongside <em>The Spectator’s</em> editor Fraser Nelson to discuss. (01:34)<br><br>Then: Confessions of a defecting Starmtrooper. Katy Balls speaks to Jamie Driscoll, the former Labour North of Tyne mayor, who failed Keir Starmer’s selection process to be mayor of the soon-to-be-created North East metro mayoralty. He’s now running as an independent, backed by Andy Burnham, while half of the Labour council groups are refusing to endorse the official Labour candidate. ‘I know people who have left the Labour party who describe it as leaving an abusive relationship,’ he says. You can read the full interview in the magazine, but we have a short extract of their discussion on the podcast. (13:44)<br><br>And finally: Our reporter Max Jeffery gatecrashed a party of the Extinction Rebellion youth offshoot Youth Demand!, whose stunts have included targeting MPs’ houses and dousing the Ministry of Defence in red ink. ‘I’m so ketty!’ one of the partygoers told him (referring to the drugs she was on). ‘They wrote ideas on big sheets of paper and left them lying at the back of the bar while they celebrated. “Rishi Sunak pool/pond – dyeing it red – pool party?” someone wrote. “CEOs’ houses”; “water (Thames)”; “Planes/private jets”; “Eton”; “Transgressive stuff”.’ Max joins the podcast alongside Youth Demand! spokesperson Ella Ward. (24:18)<br><br>Hosted by Lara Prendergast and Gus Carter. <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 podcast I’m joined by Percival Everett, who has followed up his Booker-shortlisted <em>The Trees</em> with <em>James</em>, a novel that reimagines the story of <em>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</em> from the point of view of the fugitive slave Jim. Percival tells me what he learned from Mark Twain, how being funny doesn’t make him a comic novelist, and why Black resistance to racism is a matter of language itself.</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>It's now 18 months since Liz Truss left Downing Street. She has written a memoir, Ten Years to Save the West, which records her political career since first becoming a cabinet minister. In her first broadcast interview to promote the book, she tells Fraser Nelson about why she thinks the OBR and the Supreme Court should be abolished; how Donald Trump is better for the defense of Ukraine than Joe Biden; and why she didn't listen to her husband when he warned her that her leadership bid would all end in tears.<br><br>This interview was originally broadcast on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/spectatortv">SpectatorTV</a>, <em>The Spectator</em>'s regularly updated YouTube channel. </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>When I recently came across a <a href="https://chinabooksreview.com/2023/12/12/marco-polo-travel-writer-fraud-sexpat/">book review</a> asking the question ‘was Marco Polo a "sexpat"?’, I knew I had to get its author on to, well, discuss this important question some more. The 13th century Venetian merchant Marco Polo’s account of China was one of the earliest and most popular travelogues written on the country. Polo spent years at the court of Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis, and whose family founded the Yuan dynasty in China.<br><br>My guest today, and the author of that book review, is the historian Jeremiah Jenne. Jeremiah has lived in China for over two decades, and he is also the co-host of the fascinating podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/barbarians-at-the-gate/id1119553188">Barbarians at the Gate</a>, all about Chinese history. He has been doing a series of historical book reviews for the relatively newly established website <a href="https://chinabooksreview.com/">China Books Review</a>, and in re-reading <em>The Travels of Marco Polo</em>, he noticed that there was a lot of sex.<br><br>We talk about all of this, of course, but there’s a serious point here too. How much do Europeans observe when they go to China and how reliable are their accounts, understood and told through the perspective of the outsider? How much has Marco Polo’s portrayal of China moulded the western mindset on the country in the centuries since, and even today? And what does it say about the China of the 13th century that a trio of Venetian merchants could make it to the heart of the Mongol empire?</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: Matthew Parris questions what's left to say about the Tories (00:57), Laurie Graham discusses her struggle to see a GP (07:35), Rachel Johnson makes the case against women only clubs (13:38), Laura Gascoigne tells us the truth about Caravaggio's last painting (19:21) and Angus Colwell reads his notes on wild garlic (28:58). <br> <br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson, Margaret Mitchell and Patrick Gibbons. <br> <br>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, the Arizona Supreme Court reinstated a law from 1864 that bans nearly all abortions in the state. But where do Trump and Biden stand on abortion, and will it be a deciding factor in the 2024 election? <br><br>Freddy's joined by Inez Stepman, Fellow at the Claremont Institute, and Daniel McCarthy, Editor of Modern Age Journal. <br><br>Produced by Megan McElroy. </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>Laura Farris comes from something of a political dynasty, both her father and uncle were MPs. The former even represented the same Newbury seat that she currently holds. She studied PPE at Oxford before working as a researcher for Hilary Clinton but she eschewed a political career to work firstly as a journalist and then as a barrister. In 2019 she became MP for Newbury and she now works across both the Home Office and Ministry of Justice. <br><br>On the podcast, Laura tells Katy what she learnt from Hilary Clinton, the things she hopes to achieve by the next election and why Jonathan Sumption has a point about the ECHR. </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: will Biden support Ukraine’s attacks on Russia?<br><br>Owen Matthews writes the cover piece in light of the Zelensky drone offensive. Ukraine’s most successful strategy to date has been its ingenious use of homemade, long-range drones, which it has used to strike military targets as well as oil refineries and petrol storage facilities in Russia. The strikes are working but have alienated the US, who draw a red line when it comes to attacks on Russian soil. Owen joins the podcast alongside Svitlana Morenets, author of <em>The Spectator’s</em> <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/ukraine/">Ukraine in Focus </a>newsletter to debate what comes next. (01:44)<br><br>Next: Will and Lara take us through some of their favourite pieces in the magazine, including Rachel Johnson’s thoughts on women’s only clubs and Angus Colwell’s notes on wild garlic and the new foragers. <br><br>Then: who is the greater threat to democracy, Biden or Trump? This is the question that Lionel Shriver grapples with in her column, where she expresses total disbelief that the grim state of politics in the US hasn’t thrown up an alternative third party. Lionel joins the podcast to discuss what’s left for American voters. (19:47)<br><br>And finally: Astronomer David Whitehouse bids a fond farewell to the Voyager 1 space probe which, due to technical difficulties, may soon stop transmitting back to earth. On the podcast, he looks back on what we’ve learnt about space during the 50 years that Voyager has been travelling through the cosmos with Sasha Hinkley, astrophysicist at the University of Exeter and leading a team of scientists on James Webb Telescope. (33:25)<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.<br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons. <br><br>We are always looking for ways to improve the podcast, please send any feedback to [email protected]<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>Today Freddy is joined by Sarah Elliott, senior advisor for the US-UK special relationship unit at the Legatum Institute. They discuss Lord Cameron's visit to America this week and the news that speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson snubbed a meeting with the foreign secretary. Is the special relationship still special? </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 Dorian Lynskey. In his new book <em>Everything Must Go</em>, Dorian looks at the way humans have imagined the end of the world from the Book of Revelations to the present day. He tells me how old fears find new forms, why Dr Strangelove divides critics, and why there’s always a few people who anticipate global annihilation with something that looks like longing.</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 <em>Spectator Out Loud</em>: James Heale suggests that the London mayoral race could be closer than we think (1:02); Madeleine Teahan argues that babies with down’s syndrome have a right to be born (6:15); Tanya Gold reports from Jerusalem as Israel’s war enters its seventh month (12:32); and William Moore reveals what he has in common with Kim Jong Un (18:25).<br><br>Produced and presented 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>Suspected Israeli air strikes were launched on targets in Syria this week and Israel's war in Gaza has entered its seventh month. Americano regular Jacob Heilbrunn joins Freddy to discuss what an escalating situation in the Middle East could mean for Joe Biden. What's the Democrats' strategy? And how could this impact the 2024 election?<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>On the podcast this week: what could achieving a large majority at the next election mean for Labour; how much should parents worry about picky eating; and why are humans fascinated with the apocalypse? <br><br>First up: The Starmer supremacy.<br><br>If the polls are correct, Labour could be on to a record landslide at the next general election. Any political leader would relish such a win. But can achieving such a large majority present internal problems of its own? Labour MP Harriet Harman joins The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls to discuss. (1:32)<br><br>Then: Lara and Gus discuss some of their favourite pieces from the magazine, from Charles Moore’s column to Christopher Matthew’s piece on A. A. Milne’s time at <em>Punch</em> magazine. (16:21)<br><br>Next: how much should parents’ fuss over their children? Spectator contributor Hannah Moore argues in the magazine this week that parents shouldn’t worry about picky eating. Hannah joins the podcast, alongside The Spectator’s commissioning editor, Mary Wakefield to discuss this. Look out for a surprise revelation about our usual host William Moore… (18:27)<br><br>And finally: why are we so obsessed with the apocalypse? Dorian Lynskey’s new book ‘Everything Must Go’ is reviewed in this week’s magazine. It explores the stories humans tell about the end of the world. Dorian joins us with archaeologist and author Chris Begley who wrote ‘The Next Apocalypse’ about what humans can learn from past disasters. Is there hope for humanity yet? (28:34)<br><br>Hosted by Lara Prendergast and Gus Carter.<br><br>Produced by Patrick Gibbons. <br><br>We are always looking for ways to improve the podcast, please send any feedback to [email protected]</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 the investigative reporter Annie Jacobsen, whose hair-raising new book <em>Nuclear War: A Scenari</em>o<em> </em>imagines – minute by minute – what would unfold if the nuclear balloon went up. But rather than a work of fantasy, this is based on meticulously sourced reporting about the effects of nuclear weapons and the structures and policies that govern them. We all knew it would be bad but Jacobsen tells us just how bad, and how fast, and quite how little the people who push the button will actually know about what's going on.</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>Over the last week the UK has been rocked by allegations that China was responsible for two cyber attacks in recent years – one on the Electoral Commission, where hackers successfully accessed the open register, which has the details of 40 million voters; and a set of attempts to access the emails of a number of China critics within parliament. <br><br>So what do we know about China’s cyber capabilities? What are its goals? And now that the UK knows about these attacks, what should we be doing?<br><br>Joining Cindy Yu on the podcast today is Nigel Inkster, senior advisor for cyber security and China at the think tank IISS, formerly director of operations and intelligence at MI6, and author of <em>China’s Cyber Power</em>, a 2016 book on precisely this question.<br><br><em>You can also join Cindy Yu at </em>The Spectator<em>'s Chinese wine lunch on June 14th. To find out more and buy tickets, visit </em><a href="http://spectator.co.uk/chinesewine"><em><a href="http://spectator.co.uk/chinesewine">spectator.co.uk/chinesewine</a></em></a><em>.</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>

<div>This week: Sophie Winkleman tells us why she's fighting to ban smartphones for children (01:01), Svitlana Morenets details how Ukraine plans to revive its birthrate (05:52), Candida Crewe laments the blight that is UHT milk (12:41), and Ysenda Maxtone Graham mourns the loss of the St John's Voices choir (22:43). </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 evolutionary biologist and host of<em> The DarkHorse Podcast </em>Bret Weinstein. They discuss the Darien Gap, an area of Panama which has become a focal point for America's migrant crisis. Bret has spent some time investigating the area, what's going on?</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>Anne Jenkin was born in Essex to quite the political family, three of her grandparents were in the House of Lords, and two of them in the Commons as well. Her career in Westminster began in the 1970s and in 2005 she co-founded Women2Win with future Prime Minister Theresa May to encourage more women to get into politics and stand as Conservative candidates. She was made a life peer in 2011 for services to charity and politics. </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: how forgiveness was forgotten, why the secular tide might be turning, and looking for romance at the British museum. <br><br>Up first: The case of Frank Hester points to something deep going on in our culture, writes Douglas Murray in the magazine this week. ‘We have never had to deal with anything like this before. Any mistake can rear up in front of you again – whether five years later (as with Hester) or decades on.’ American lawyer and author of <em>Cancel Culture: the latest attack on free speech</em>, Alan Dershowitz, joins the podcast to discuss whether forgiveness has been forgotten. (02:11)<br><br>Then: Will and Lara take us through some of their favourite pieces from the magazine, including Svitlana Morenets’ article on Ukraine’s fertility crisis and Sophie Winkleman’s notebook. <br><br>Next: Justin Brierley writes for <em>The Spectator</em> about the return of religiosity. He argues that after a period of decline, the secular tide is turning with young people returning to Christianity. However he expresses some concern that the flag bearers for this new Christianity – the likes of Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson – might not be the most sincere. Justin joins the podcast alongside Tom Holland, co-host of <em>The Rest is History</em> podcast and author of <em>Dominion: how the Christian revolution remade the world</em>. (13:39)<br><br>And finally: looking for love at the British museum. Harry Mount was dispatched to the British museum this week to investigate its new function as a pick up spot. The museum ran a marketing campaign promoting a new exhibition as an opportunity for single women to find single men.<em> </em>The post read: ‘Girlies, if you’re single and looking for a man, this is your sign to go to the British Museum’s new exhibition, <em>Life in the Roman Army</em>, and walk around looking confused. You’re welcome x.’ It added: ‘Come for the Romans, stay for some romance.’ Harry joins the podcast alongside fellow classicist Daisy Dunn. (23:51)<br><br>Stay tuned for a short snippet of Rory Sutherland’s proposed new podcast where he interviews leading thinking about trivial topics! (31:27)<br><br>Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore. <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>In this week's Book Club podcast my guest is the Pulitzer prize winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen, whose new book is the memoir <em>A Man of Two Faces. </em>He tells me about the value of trauma to literature, learning about his history through Hollywood, falling asleep in class... and the rotten manners of Oliver Stone.</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>Gennaro Contaldo is an Italian chef, cookbook author and television presenter. He is also known as Jamie Oliver's mentor and Antonio Carluccio's travel partner on <em>Two Greedy Italians</em>. His latest cookbook <a href="https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/gennaros-verdure-big-and-bold-italian-recipes-to-pack-your-plate-with-veg-gennaro-contaldo?variant=40291838361678"><em>Gennaro's Verdure</em></a> – which celebrates seasonal vegetables – is out now. <br><br>On the podcast he tells Liv and Lara about his upbringing on the Amalfi coast, what he's learnt from Jamie Oliver and how he came to love fish and chips. <br><br>Photo credit: David Loftus </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 editor-at-large of the Wall Street Journal Gerry Baker about whether the media’s wrong reporting of Trump’s ‘bloodshed’ comments have played to his advantage; why America has lost trust in its institutions; and whether voters think the economy was better off 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>Freddy Gray speaks to political science researcher Richard Hanania about his (relative) optimism regarding the future of America, and how Sydney Sweeney might have 'ended wokeness'.</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: Richard Madeley reads his diary (01:06), Kate Andrews describes how Kate-gate gripped America (06:18), Lloyd Evans warns against meddling with Shakespeare (11:38), Sam McPhail details how Cruyff changed modern football (18:17), and Graeme Thomson reads his interview with Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera (25:23). <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>Freddy speaks to Rob Henderson, author of <em>Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class</em>, in which he coins the term 'luxury beliefs'. These are certain beliefs held by a section of the elite which confirm and elevate the status of those who hold them. As a consequence, they can cause harm to those lower down the social strata. Is Donald Trump the antidote to America’s ‘luxury beliefs’ complex?</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: Scotland’s new hate crime law; the man who could be France’s next PM; and why do directors meddle with Shakespeare? <br><br>First up: Scotland is smothering free speech.<br><br>Scotland is getting a new, modern blasphemy code in the form of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, which takes effect from 1 April. The offence of ‘stirring up racial hatred’ will be extended to disability, religion, sexual orientation, age, transgender identity and variations in sex characteristics. The new law gives few assurances for protecting freedom of speech writes Lucy Hunter Blackburn, former senior Scottish civil servant. Lucy joins the podcast, alongside Baroness Claire Fox, unaffiliated peer and founder of the Academy of Ideas think tank. (03:18)<br><br>Then: William and Gus discuss some of their favourite pieces from the magazine this week, including Sam McPhail’s history of ‘Total Football’ and Richard Madeley’s diary. <br><br>Next: Journalist Gavin Mortimer writes about Jordan Bardella for <em>The Spectator</em>. He is Marine Le Pen’s number two in the National Rally party and the man Gavin says could be France’s next PM. Gavin is joined by <em>Telegraph</em> contributor Anne-Elisabeth Moutet to ask: who is Jordan Bardella? (28:22)<br><br>And finally: why do directors feel the need to ‘correct’ Shakespeare? That’s the question that Lloyd Evans asks in the magazine this week. He says that directors should go back to basics when it comes to adapting the bard and leave the gimmicks to one side. Yael Farber – who is currently directing King Lear at the Almeida Theatre and has previously adapted Macbeth and Julius Caesar – joins the podcast to discuss. (41:25)<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Gus Carter. <br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson. <br><br>We are always looking to improve the podcast, please send any feedback to: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</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>My guest in this week's Book Club is Joel Morris, an award-winning comedy writer whose credits run from co-creating Philomena Cunk to writing gags for <em>Viz </em>and punching up the script for <em>Paddington 2</em>. In his new book <em>Be Funny Or Die</em>, he sets out to analyse how and why comedy works. He tells me why there are only three keys on the clown keyboard, what laughter does for us in neurological terms, and why Laurel and Hardy could get away with anything.</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 talks to political science lecturer Damon Linker about the latest developments in the Biden and Trump campaigns. <br><br>Why did Biden’s fiery State of the Union Address provide him no uptick in the polls? In what ways does Trump fatigue affect each candidate’s chances? And does Trump’s greater popularity with non-white low propensity voters skew the polls in his favour?</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 the last episode, I discussed Chinese rural lives with Professor Scott Rozelle. One point he made which particularly stuck with me was the dying out of farming as an occuption – he'd said that most rural people under the age of 35 have never farmed a day in their lives.<br><br>So that got me thinking, what do they do instead? In this episode I’ll be looking at one, very high profile, alternative – vlogging. I’ve noticed through my hours of scrolling through Chinese social media that there is a huge genre of rural, pastoral content. <br><br>This is an interesting phenomenon both for what it says about the rural population today, as well as what it reveals about the – often – urban viewers on the other end. So today I’m joined by Yi-Ling Liu, a writer on Chinese society who has had bylines in the New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine and WIRED. She’s looked in detail at the phenomenon of the rural influencer.<br><br>On the episode, we talk about a few of our favourite rural influencers. You can watch Li Ziqi's videos on YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@cnliziqi%20">here</a> and 王大姐来了 (the middle aged rappers I mention) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@WangDaJie727">here</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>Freddy Gray speaks to Matt McDonald, <em>Spectator World's</em> managing editor about the the vote to force a sale of TikTok to a US company, and foreign lobbying for and against the move in Washington.</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 <em>Spectator Out Loud</em>: William Moore questions if the Church of England is about the apologise for Christianity (1:19); Sean Thomas recounts his experience taking ayahuasca in Colombia (8:13); Matt Ridley argues that private landowners make better conservationists (16:40); Lionel Shriver warns against pathological niceness in the debate about immigration (28:37); and, Kate Andrews reviews a play at the Olivier about Nye Bevan (36:57).<br> <br>Presented 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>In this episode of Holy Smoke, I'm joined by<em> The Spectator's</em> features editor William Moore, who asks in this week's issue of the magazine whether the Church of England is 'apologising for Christianity'. A report by the Oversight Group, set up by the Church Commissioners to make reparations for African slavery, not only wants to see unimaginable sums transferred to 'community groups' – its chair, the Bishop of Croydon, thinks a billion pounds would be appropriate – it also deplores the efforts of Christian missionaries to eradicate traditional religious practices. But, as Will's article points out, those traditional practices included idol-worship, twin infanticide and cannibalism. Are these part of the religious heritage that the C of E patronisingly wants African Christians to rediscover? Did missionaries and early converts to the faith who gave their lives for the faith die in vain? </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>When it comes to retirement, working out how much you will need to set aside can seem like a monumental task. The average person has between 8 to 10 jobs over their lifetime. People are living longer – with the median retirement age at 65 and life expectancy at 80. What should people think about when planning for their pension? And what challenges do people face? Women are the most likely to suffer from pension inequality, with single women being the poorest of all pensioners. <br><br>Almost a fifth of private sector employees do not do any pension saving, and a third of people expect to retire with only a state pension. To shine a light on some of the pension inequalities, Katy Balls is joined by Wendy Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Work and Pensions, Jackie Leiper, CEO of Embark Group and MD of Pensions at Scottish Widows, both part of Lloyds Banking Group, and Lauren Wilkinson, from the Pensions Policy Institute, and co-author of the Underpensioned report. <br><br><em>This podcast is kindly sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group.</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>

<div>On the podcast this week: is Rishi ready for a Red Wall rebellion? <br><br>Lee Anderson’s defection to Reform is an indication of the final collapse of the Tories’ 2019 electoral coalition and the new split in the right, writes Katy Balls in her cover story. For the first time in many years the Tories are polling below 25 per cent. Reform is at 15 per cent. The hope in Reform now is that Anderson attracts so much publicity from the right and the left that he will bring the party name recognition and electoral cut-through. Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice joins Katy on the podcast to discuss. (02:23)<br><br>Then: Will and Lara take us through some of their favourite pieces from the magazine, including Lloyd Evans’<em> Life</em> column and Sean Thomas’ description of taking ayahuasca at Pablo Escobar’s cocaine and occasional execution palace. <br><br>Next: is the Church of England about to apologise for Christianity? <br><br>Our own William Moore writes this week about the C of E’s latest apology, which – if given – he says is tantamount to apologising for Christianity itself. This comes after the Oversight Group suggested the C of E gives £1 billion in reparations to atone for its historic links to the slave trade and instances of ‘deliberate actions to destroy diverse African religious belief systems.’ The Reverend Dr Jamie Franklin, host of the <a href="https://irreverendpod.com/"><em>Irreverend</em></a> podcast, joins Will to discuss. (21:19) <br><br>And finally: 'Operation Kenova: Northern Ireland Stakeknife Legacy Investigation’ was precipitated by claims that the British Army had an agent at the heart of the IRA. ‘Stakeknife’ was head of the IRA’s Internal Security Unit and was responsible for questioning, torturing and executing people the IRA suspected of being British agents. He was a British agent, passing on information to his controllers in the British Army. Now the Boutcher report has found that Stakeknife might have instigated more deaths than lives he saved during his time embedded in the terrorist organisation. Alasdair Palmer writes about it for our magazine and argues that infiltrators such as Stakeknife must have licence to do whatever necessary when fighting terrorism. Alasdair joins the podcast alongside Douglas Murray, <em>The Spectator’s</em> associate editor and author of the award-winning <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloody-Sunday-Truth-Saville-Inquiry/dp/1849544344"><em>Bloody Sunday: Truth, lies and the Saville Inquiry</em></a>. (34:21)<br><br>Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore. <br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson. <br><br>We are always looking to improve the podcast, please send any feedback to: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</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>Freddy Gray speaks to author Robert Bryce whose recent docuseries <em>Power Politics & The Grid</em> explores the growing vulnerabilities of America's electric grid. On the podcast they talk about Trump vs Biden energy policy; why Europe needs America's energy and what environmentalism could look like in 2024. </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's Book Club podcast sees me speaking to the critic and novelist Lauren Oyler about her first collection of essays, <em>No Judgment: On Being Critical</em>. Lauren and I talked about the freedoms and affordances of the essay form; about how making and criticising art has been changed – and hasn't – by the advent of the digital age; why it's weird we all still treat the internet as if it's a new thing; and about why David Foster Wallace can still be a role-model even after his cancellation.</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>Alex Jackson is the founder of Sardine and currently head chef at Noble Rot, Soho. His cookbook <em>Frontières: the food of France's borderlands</em> is available now. <br><br>On the podcast, he tells Lara and Liv why the smell of chip fat reminds him of home, how his interest in cooking was ignited during time spent at university France, and divulges his desert island meal. </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 of Spectator Out Loud, Mary Wakefield has a solution to smartphone addition (00:28), Hannah Tomes reviews the latest production of King Lear (07:27) and Cosmo Landesman gets high (11:13).</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 John Rick MacArthur, president and publisher of Harper's Magazine to discuss Robert F. Kennedy junior and his candidacy in the presidential 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>On the podcast: what would Trump’s second term look like? <br><br>Vengeance is a lifelong theme of Donald Trump’s, writes Freddy Gray in this week’s cover story – and this year’s presidential election could provide his most delectable payback of all. Meanwhile, Kate Andrews writes that Nikki Haley’s campaign is over – and with it went the hopes of the Never Trump movement. Where did it all go wrong? They both join the podcast to discuss what to expect from Trump’s second coming. (03:11)<br><br>Then: Will and Gus take us through some of their favourite pieces from the magazine, including Michael Hann’s <em>Pop </em>review and Cosmo Landesman’s <em>City Life </em>column. (16:38)<br><br>Next: Flora Watkins writes in <em>The Spectator</em> about on private schools. She discusses how she is taking her kids out of private school, partly because of a rise in school fees brought about by inflation and the cost of living and partly in anticipation of Labour imposing VAT on school fees. To debate, Julie Robinson – general secretary of the Independent Schools Council – and Fiona Millar – former education advisor to Tony Blair – join the podcast. (20:36)<br><br>And finally: the rise of organised shoplifting.<strong><br></strong><br>Shoplifting is on the increase, writes Harriet Sergeant, not because of struggling Britons, but because of organised criminals trafficking children, too young to be charged, from around Europe to steal from British shops. They view the UK as poorly policed but rich; the perfect place for stealing goods to sell on quickly. Harriet joins the podcast alongside Xander Cloudsley, a shoplifting activist from the organisation <em>This Is Rigged</em>. (31:36)<br><br>Hosted by William Moore and Gus Carter. <br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson. <br><br>If you have any feedback, please contact us on: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</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>For this Super Tuesday discussion, Sarah Elliot – head of the Special Relationship Unit at the Legatum Institute joins Freddy Gray to chat about the predicted Trump-Biden victory; what Nikki Haley will do next and who could be Donald Trump's vice 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>My guest on this week's Book Club podcast is Peter Pomerantsev. Peter's new book <em>How To Win An Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler </em>tells the story of Sefton Delmer, the great genius of twentieth-century propaganda. Peter tells me about Delmer's remarkable life, compromised ethics, and the lessons he still has to offer us. </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>Too often our stories about China are dictated by the urban experience, probably because journalists inside and outside of China are often based in the big cities; Beijing specifically. Those who live in the cities also tend to be more educated, more privileged, and so able to dominate the global attention more. <br><br>That’s why I’m particularly keen to hear about the lives of those who still live in the countryside, or at least are still considered ‘rural residents’ by the Chinese government. They make up a sizeable proportion of the population, and you’ll hear that in my first question to my guest today, we discuss just how big this group is.<br><br>How do the poorest in China live today, considering the government has announced that there is no more extreme poverty? Just how wide are their gaps in living standards, education, health, compared to their compatriots who live in the cities? <br><br>Professor Scott Rozelle joins me on this episode. He is the co-director of the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, a developmental economist who has been conducting research in China for over three decades. He is also the co-author of <em>Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China’s Rise</em>.<br><br>Further listening from the archive:<br>Second class citizens: the lives of China’s internal migrants: <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/second-class-citizens-the-lives-of-chinas-internal-migrants/">https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/second-class-citizens-the-lives-of-chinas-internal-migrants/</a><br>Is China turning away from the world?: <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/is-china-turning-away-from-the-world/">https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/is-china-turning-away-from-the-world/</a><br><br>Produced by Cindy Yu and Joe Bedell-Brill.</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 talks to political technologist Eric Wilson about the role technology and media will play in the 2024 US election. They cover the differences in strategy between the Democrats and the Republicans, why television is still the best medium for reaching voters, and the role of social media influencers. <br><br>Produced by 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>On this week’s <em>Spectator Out Loud</em>: Lukas Degutis reports from Riga, exploring Latvia’s policy of expelling Russian speakers (01:16); Ysenda Maxtone Graham explains why she believes applause has no place at a funeral (10:03); paying homage to Christopher Gunning, Richard Bratby argues that composers of ads, film soundtracks and TV theme tunes should be taken more seriously (14:46); and Toby Young questions the Bidens’ choice of dog (21:50).<br> <br>Produced and presented 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>