Best of the Spectator

<div>This week: Mary Wakefield explains why the NHS is broken; Jenny McCartney on the unproductive 'productivity gurus' and Robert Gore-Langton on Richard Burton’s botched Hamlet. <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>Freddy Gray is joined by Ayesha Hazarika and Katy Balls who has written the cover this week on Keir Starmer's centrist army. Also on the show, Cirino Hiteng Ofuho on Sudan's violent civil unrest; Gracy Curley on the upcoming US election and Sean Mathias and Rob Gore-Langton on Hamlet. <br><br>00:00 Welcome from Freddy Gray<br>03:39 Who are Keir's 'Starmtroopers?' With Katy Balls and Ayesha Hazarika<br>24:59 What's happened in Sudan? With Dr Cirino Hiteng Ofuho<br>36:29 A look ahead to the US election. With Grace Curley<br>53:56 Richard Burton's botched Hamlet. With Sean Mathias and Robert Gore-Langton.<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>This week:<br><br>In her cover piece for the magazine, <em>The Spectator’s </em>political editor Katy Balls writes that as Labour prepares for government, Keir Starmer is rooting out the far left sections of his party and replacing them with moderates. She is joined by John McTernan, former political secretary to Tony Blair, to discuss the return of the Blairites (01:06).<br><br>Also this week:<br><br><em>The Spectator’s</em> Russia correspondent Owen Matthews writes about Putin's three most prominent political prisoners. He joins the podcast alongside <em>The Spectator’s</em> assistant online editor Lisa Haseldine to consider the cost of speaking up against the regime (17:50).<br><br>And finally:<br><br>Damian Thompson, associate editor at <em>The Spectator</em>, writes this week about the rise of America’s Satanists. He is joined by Chaplain Leopold, who co-runs the Global Order of Satan UK, to debate the rifts in modern Satanism (28:41). <br><br>Hosted by 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 theoretical physicist Michio Kaku. In his new book <em>Quantum Supremacy, </em>Prof Kaku explains how – as he sees it – the advent of quantum computers is going to turn the world as we know it on its head. He explains the extraordinary possibilities and perils of the quantum revolution, tells me how Albert Einstein and Flash Gordon set him on his path, and argues why when it comes to trying to make sense of the universe, you need to be prepared to be crazy.</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>Winston speaks to former Portland State University professor turned international philosopher, Peter Boghossian. Peter was a prominent new atheist author and expert on the Socratic method when he resigned his position at Portland over the percolation of ‘woke’ ideology into the university. In his resignation letter he described how the institution had become a ‘dogma factory’ which had ‘weaponized diversity, equity and inclusion’. Peter and Winston discuss progressive domination of the Academy, how woke spreads, DEI vs free speech, how to have constructive conversations and whether the new atheists led to woke culture.</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 Michael Wolff, author of books on Trump and Rupert Murdoch. On the podcast, they talk about the Dominion vs Fox trial settlement. Why did Fox let this case go on for so long?</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: Sam Leith explains how he’s been keeping up friendships by playing online scrabble (00:55), Lionel Shriver questions Nike and Bud Light's recent marketing strategy (06:52) and Angus Colwell reads his review of the V&A Dundee’s tartan exhibition (15:24).</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>John Connolly is joined by Andrew Neil to discuss the SNP’s implosion; Douglas Murray and Arlene Foster on the ongoing sectarianism in Northern Ireland; Louise Perry and Kim Cotton on the ethical dilemmas of surrogacy and David Abulafia on Neflix's portrayal of Cleopatra.<br><br>00:00 Welcome from John Connolly<br>01:54 Is the SNP over? With Andrew Neil<br>13:24 Can Northern Ireland move on from the Troubles? With Douglas Murray and Arlene Foster<br>32:03 Is surrogacy unethical? With Louise Perry and Kim Cotton <br>54:26 Why is Netflix pretending that Cleopatra was black? With David Abulafia<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 episode:<br><br>In her cover piece for <em>The Spectator</em>, journalist Louise Perry questions whether it is moral to separate a newborn child from their surrogate. She is joined by Sarah Jones, head of SurrogacyUK and five time surrogate mother, to debate the ethics of surrogacy (01:07).<br><br>Also this week:<br><br>In the books section of the magazine Olivia Potts reviews several recent books all of which seem to warn against the dangers of our food system and what we are eating. She is joined by Henry Dimbleby, author of <em>Ravenous: How to Get Ourselves and Our Planet Into Shape</em>, to ask if anything is safe to eat these days (14:29). <br><br>And finally:<br><br>Reverend Steve Morris speaks to modern day Holy Grail-hunters in <em>The Spectator</em> about their obsession with the search for the cup of Christ. He joins the podcast alongside Rat Scabies, Grail-hunter and drummer of the punk band The Dammed, to shed some light on the enduring appeal of the Holy Grail (26:50). <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>Sam Leith's guest on this week's Book Club podcast is Luke Jennings, the veteran reporter and novelist whose <em>Codename Villanelle </em>trilogy gave rise to the hit TV series <em>Killing Eve</em>. As his new thriller <em>#PANIC </em>is published he tells Sam how he found its inspiration after being drawn into the online fandom for <em>Killing Eve</em>, where he clashed with Phoebe Waller-Bridge... and why he's never going to write a novel about media types in North London having affairs.<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>Feminist philosopher, <em>Unherd</em> columnist and author of <em>The Case Against The Sexual Revolution </em>Louise Perry discusses population growth decline, how culture, the state and feminism are failing mothers and what can be done about 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>Just before Christmas, it was reported that the billionaire Jack Ma had moved to Tokyo after getting into trouble with the Chinese authorities. If he's still living there, he'd be one of several well known Chinese who seems to have made Japan their home after run ins with Beijing.<br><br>In so doing, they’re following in the footsteps of those who came over a century ago – other Chinese exiles who holed out in Japan because of a hostile political environment back home.<br><br>This episode is all about how important it was that Japan served as a safe haven for these exiles – both reformers and revolutionaries – at the turn of the 20th century. That would later contribute to the establishment of a Chinese national identity and even the creation of the Chinese republic itself. It turns out that Japan was not only an aggressor against modern China, but an inspiration for it.<br><br>On this episode, Cindy Yu is joined by the Professor Rana Mitter from the University of Oxford and Bill Hayton, a journalist and author of <em>The Invention Of China</em>.<br><br>[Pictured: Sun Yat-sen with Japanese film producer Umeya Shokichi and wife, who helped fund Sun's activities]<br><br>Historical timeline:<br><strong>1839 - 1842</strong> – First opium war<br><strong>1856 - 1860</strong> – Second opium war<br><strong>1868</strong> – The 'Meiji Restoration' begins in Japan<br><strong>1877</strong> – The first Qing delegation arrives in Tokyo, including diplomat Huang Zunxian.<br><strong>1894/95</strong> – The Sino-Japanese war. China's defeat results in Taiwan being ceded to Japan as a colony.<br><strong>1898</strong> – The 'Hundred Days Reform', a failed attempt by the Emperor Guangxu and allies (including Liang Qichao, Kang Youwei and Huang Zunxian) to constitutionalise the Qing dynasty. It was quashed by the Empress Cixi.<br><strong>1899 - 1901</strong> – The Boxer Rebellion, a peasant movement against foreign forces in China and endorsed by the Qing dynasty. It ends in defeat and an influx of Chinese students are sent to Japan as a part of Qing indemnities.<br><strong>1911 </strong>- The last emperor abdicates and the Republic of China is formed.<br><br>Further listening:<br>Jing Tsu on the <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/reinventing-the-chinese-language/">Chinese language revolution</a>.<br>Bill Hayton on <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/what-is-it-to-be-chinese/">'The Invention Of China'</a>.<br>Dylan Levi Thomas on <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/has-china-got-over-the-japanese-invasion/">modern China's psyche surrounding Japan</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>This week: James Heale says the gloves are off as Labour campaigning takes a bitter turn (00:54), Mary Wakefield worries that she’s raising a snowflake (17:47), and Gus Carter tells us about the colourful history of the green man (31:34). <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>Baroness Martha Lane Fox is a dotcom pioneer having started <a href="http://lastminute.com/">lastminute.com</a> in 1997. She sits on the board of some of the country's most prominent brands, including Marks & Spencer and Channel 4, and has made significant contributions to the government's digital agenda. On the podcast, Martha talks about the early years of the dotcom bubble; the car crash which led to her spending two years in hospital; and some of the campaigning work she has done to promote more accessibility for women in tech.<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 the podcast this week: <br><br>In his cover piece for <em>The Spectator</em>, Adrian Wooldridge argues that meritocracy is under attack. He says that the traditional societal pyramid – with the upper class at the top and the lower class at the base – has been inverted by a new culture which prizes virtue over meritocracy. He joins the podcast alongside journalist and author of<em> Chums: How a tiny caste of Oxford Tories took over the UK</em>, Simon Kuper, to debate (01:04). <br><br>Also this week: <br><br>In the magazine, ad-man Paul Burke suggests how the Tories should respond to Labour’s attack adverts. Released last week, the adverts have caused a stir for attacking the Conservative's recent record on curbing child abuse, and accuses Rishi Sunak directly of negligence on the issue. Paul is joined by Carl Shoben, who leads strategic communications for <em>Survation</em> and was strategy director under Jeremy Corbyn (17:47). <br><br>And finally: <br><br>In the books section of the magazine Philip Hensher reviews Sarah Bakewell’s new book <em>Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Thinking, Enquiry and Hope</em>. Philip says that he admires the humanists of the past, and find them consistently kinder, more decent and generous than their contemporaries. Both Philip and Sarah join the podcast (31:34). <br><br>Hosted by 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>For over forty years, tens of thousands of girls and young women have been abused, raped and some brutally murdered across Britain by grooming gangs. It is a scandal that should shame the nation, yet it is an issue that gets brushed aside by authorities, clouded out in the media by disputes over racist reporting, and largely ignored by politicians. All at the cost of justice for those young girls. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week announced policy to – finally – attempt to deal with this horrific issue. <br><br>To discuss the policy and the deeper story of the grooming gangs is journalist and documentary filmmaker Charlie Peters.</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 podcast is the poet and artist Frieda Hughes, whose new book <em>George: A Magpie Memoir </em>tells the story of what caring for a foundling baby magpie taught her about life. She tells me about chaos, head-bouncing, magpie-poop, and how she managed to write about corvids without imagining her father Ted Hughes looking over her shoulder. </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>Jonathan Ray is <em>The Spectator’s</em> drinks editor and formerly wine critic for the<em> Telegraph</em>. He has also written several books on the subject of wine and how to buy it. <br><br>On the podcast Lara, Liv and Jonny share a glass of wine and discuss Jonathan’s earliest memories of food, his go-to hangover cure and 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>Megyn Kelly joins Freddy Gray to take a look at the wider picture following Donald Trump's arrest. The presidential candidates' ratings have surged in the polls – has this rejuvenated Trump's campaign? Also on the show, Dan Hitchens and Andrew Doyle discuss the divisions in the Church of England; Charles Moore remembers former Chancellor and editor of The Spectator, Nigel Lawson; and Stuart Jeffries joins Lady Unchained to talk about the therapeutic nature of prison art.</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, Svitlana Morenets talks about how the lines between patriotism and profiteering are being blurred in Ukraine; Owen Matthews interviews Leonid Volkov, Alexei Navalny's chief of staff; and Ysenda Maxtone Graham calls for help from a 15-minute city.<br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Cindy Yu.</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>Galen Druke, host of the FiveThirtyEight podcast, joins Freddy Gray on this episode to talk about what to take away from Chicago's election this week, how well the Biden team is handling the progressive wing of the Democratic party, and whether the Democrats would prefer to face up against Ron or Don as the Republican nominee.<br><br>Produced by Natasha Feroze, Saby Kulkarni and Cindy Yu.</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:<br><br>In his cover piece for the magazine, journalist Dan Hitchens examines whether Archbishop Justin Welby and Pope Francis can heal the divisions threatening to tear apart the Church of England and the Catholic Church. He is joined by <em>Telegraph</em> columnist Tim Stanley to ask whether these two men – once heralded as great unifiers by their respective Churches – can keep their flocks in order. (01:05) <br><br>Also this week: <br><br>In his column, <em>The Spectator’s</em> associate editor Douglas Murray questions whether the English countryside can be considered exclusionary, after the news that the green and pleasant land will be studied by ‘hate crime’ experts. He is joined by the explorer and broadcaster Dwayne Fields to ask is the countryside racist? (13:44)<br><br>And finally: <br><br>Journalist Ysenda Maxtone Graham writes for <em>The Spectator</em> about the madness – in her view – of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. She is joined by Jason Torrance, CEO of UK100 which works closely with local governments and is in favour of the scheme. (32:28)<br><br>Presented by 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 historian Katja Hoyer, whose new book <em>Beyond The Wall: East Germany 1949-1990 </em>tells the story of four decades which are vital to understand modern Germany, but which tend to be quietly relegated to a footnote in history. Born in the GDR herself, Katja tells me how much more there is to the East German state than the Berlin Wall, the Stasi, and the grey totalitarian dystopia of popular imagination. She tells me about Erich Honecker's wild side, about the importance of coffee to East German morale, and about how inevitable or otherwise were the historical forces that saw Germany first divided, and then reunited. </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>Posie Parker, aka Kellie-Jay Keen, is back from her Let Women Speak tour of Australia and New Zealand, where she was mobbed and hounded by radical trans activists. She tells me what happened, why she went in the first place, the state of the gender wars down under and her plans to run against Keir Starmer at the next election. We also look back into her own history and how it is she became the lightning rod of the feminist movement today.</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>Until a few years ago, Hollywood dominated Chinese cinemas. In the People’s Republic, Marvel’s superhero romps were the people’s favourite, with Avengers: Endgame taking in over £510 million at Chinese box offices.<br><br>Hollywood is desperate to crack the Chinese market – after all, it’s a country with a fifth of the world’s population and a growing middle class. But there’s just one problem – the small issue of the Chinese Communist Party, which tightly controls the films people can see.<br><br>Since the success of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel films had effectively been blacklisted until earlier this year, with other Hollywood blockbusters failing to break through either. This episode is about the complicated love affair between Beijing and LA.<br><br>Cindy Yu is joined by Wall Street Journal journalist Erich Schwartzel, author of <em>Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy</em>; and Chris Berry, Professor of Film Studies at Kings College London – you might remember him from a <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/the-radical-age-of-chinese-cinema/">previous episode</a> discussing the golden age of Chinese films.</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: Katy Balls discusses why Humza Yousaf is the Union's best hope (01:00), Lisa Haseldine reads her interview with former Georgian defence minister David Kezerashvili (07:00), and Graeme Thomson asks whether supergroups are really that super (13:54). <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>Penny Mordaunt is the Conservative MP for Portsmouth North and one of the most recognisable women in British politics. She has served in several ministerial roles from International Development to Defence and she is currently Leader of the House. On the podcast, Penny talks about the last two tumultuous years; some of her proudest moments in politics – increasing armed forces pay and leading a Lords reform rebellion, and adding some humour to business questions in parliament. </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:<br><br>In his cover piece for the magazine, journalist Jonathan Miller argues that President Macron is pitting himself against the people by refusing to back down from his plans to raise the age of retirement. He is joined by regular Coffee House contributor Gavin Mortimer, to ask whether this could be Macron's last adventure (01:06).<br><br>Also this week:<br><br>In the magazine, travel journalist Sean Thomas says that – in comparison to other cities he has visited – American cities are uniquely struggling to bounce back from the impacts of the covid pandemic. He is joined by Karol Markowicz, columnist at the <em>New York Post</em> and contributing editor at <em>Spectator World, </em>to discuss the decline and fall of urban America (16:29).<br><br>And finally:<br><br>Mary Wakefield writes in the magazine about her fear of the advances in artificial intelligence and in particular voice cloning technology. This sort of tech is being increasingly used by fraudsters. James Ball, columnist at the <em>New European</em>, joins the podcast alongside Jay Hacks, an AI practitioner. Would they be fooled by a voice scam? (26:38). <br><br>Presented 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 podcast my guests are the former government food tsar Henry Dimbleby and his wife and co-author Jemima Lewis, to talk about their new book <em>Ravenous: How To Get Ourselves and Our Planet Into Shape</em>. They tell me about the perils and pleasures of working with your spouse, why exercise doesn't make you lose weight, what we don't understand about nutrition, when the state needs to take a hand in consumer choice -- and why sending Liz Truss a picture of a sheep's mutilated backside might not have been the best idea.</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>Winston speaks with Dutch legal philosopher, writer and political activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek. Three and a half years of farmer demonstrations against technocratic environmentalist policy has culminated in election victory for the farmers of one of the world's great farming nations. What happened? How did it happen? Eva explains the different worldviews in contention, gives her perspective on net zero and argues the Dutch case for 'Nexit'.</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>Britain’s high energy prices, insecure supply, and climate change commitments mean people’s relationship with energy will need to change. How could consumers change their attitude to energy consumption so that they use less? Will doing so give them a worse standard of living?<br><br>On this podcast, Kate Andrews, <em>The Spectator</em>’s economics editor, is joined by Dan Brooke, the CEO of Smart Energy GB, a not-for-profit campaign to help Britons understand the benefits of smart meters.<br><br>This podcast is sponsored by Smart Energy GB.</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>Cindy Yu, the Spectator's assistant editor speaks to Katy Balls about Boris's future – is the show over for the political influencer? Also on Spectator TV, Harriet Sergeant reveals the stories of children who never returned to school after lockdown; Gideon Rachman looks at China's shifting foreign policy; Danny Shaw on the rotten culture inside the Metropolitan Police and Sasha Hinkley believes there may be life on exoplanets. <br><br>00:00 Welcome from Cindy Yu<br>02:00 Is the Boris show over? With Katy Balls<br>11:01 What happened to lockdown's missing children? With Harriet Sergeant and Miriam Cates MP<br>25:17 Is the Met Police beyond repair? With Danny Shaw<br>36:18 Why did Xi visit Putin? With Gideon Rachman<br>47:18 What is an exoplanet? With Sasha Hinckley</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: Ian Williams asks how China will cope with the rise of AI chatbots (00:56), Kara Kennedy recounts her upbringing in the Welsh ‘murder capital’ of Pontypridd (08:11), and Oscar Edmondson makes the case for the BBC World Service (13:38). <br><br>Presented 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>Freddy Gray speaks to the Republican strategist and advisor Roger Stone about the Trump's possible arrest; his views on Ron De Santis and the end of honest journalism. </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>In her cover piece for <em>The Spectator</em>, Harriet Sergeant asks what's happened to the 140,000 pupils who have been 'severely absent' from school since the pandemic. She is joined by <em>The Spectator's</em> data editor Michael Simmons to account for the staggering number of children who were failed by the government's Covid response (01:08). <br> <br> Also this week: <br> <br> Owen Matthews, <em>The Spectator's</em> Russia correspondent, looks at the opposition candidate who could usurp President Erdogan in Turkey. He joins the podcast alongside Turkish journalist Ece Temelkuran to discuss whether it really could be the end of Erdogan's two decade long hold over Turkish politics (14:48). <br> <br> And finally: <br> <br> Kara Kennedy, staff writer at <em>Spectator World</em>, writes this week about her upbringing in the Welsh 'murder capital' Pontypridd, and her own near miss with a recently convicted killer. She is joined by Welsh crime writer and psychologist Emma Kavanagh, to examine Wales's murderous reputation (24:36).<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>My guest on this week's Book Club podcast is the writer Victoria Smith, whose new book <em>Hags: The Demonisation of Middle-Aged Women </em>explains why one of the oldest forms of misogyny is seeing a vicious resurgence in our own age. She says some of the worst of it now comes from young women. She tells me why she thinks feminists of each new generation seem destined to forget or reject the lessons learned by the previous one, and why female bodies – and the life experiences which go with them – are something that can't be wished away by postmodern theory.</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>As Xi Jinping visits Vladimir Putin in Russia this week, this episode of Chinese Whispers is returning to one of the missions of this podcast series – to look at things as the Chinese see them. <br><br>My guest today is Zhou Bo, a retired Senior Colonel of the People’s Liberation Army whose military service started in 1979. He is now a senior fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University. He’s an eloquent and informed advocate of Beijing’s perspective.<br><br>On the podcast, we discuss why China hasn’t criticised Russia more, despite its purported support for sovereignty, to what extent it really means its peace plan, and whether China is about to invade Taiwan.<br><br>We recorded most of this podcast two weeks ago, so when Xi’s visit to Moscow was announced last week, Bo kindly agreed to rejoin the podcast and give his take on the visit too.<br><br>Chances are, you won’t agree with most of the things Bo says, and as you’ll hear, I didn’t on some issues either. Even so, Beijing will continue to play a crucial role in the war, and so it remains important for the West to understand how the Chinese see things.</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 Joe Weisenthal, co-host of the Odd Lots podcast at Bloomberg. On the podcast, Joe talks about the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, and the moral hazard of state intervention. How gloomy should people be?</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 discusses Britain’s invisible East Asians (00:51), Leah McLaren discloses the truth about single motherhood (06:02), and Hannah Tomes reads her notes on dining alone (12:08). <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>Ash Regan is the MSP for East Edinburgh who has served as minister for community safety. Since Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation, she has put herself forward to be the next First Minister for Scotland. Born in Biggar, Ash moved to England as a child and grew up in Devon. She surprised her family during the referendum for Scottish Independence, deciding she would vote to leave. <br><br>Ash began her foray into politics as a campaigner before running for elected office. She was little known outside of the Holyrood bubble until she quit as community safety minister over plans to allow people to self-identify their gender.<br><br>On the podcast, Ash talks about life before politics; the challenges of the campaign trail; her plans for an independent Scotland, and why she voted against the Gender Recognition Act. </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:<br><br><em>The Spectator's </em>economics editor Kate Andrews looks back on a week of economic turbulence and asks whether we should be worried, for her cover piece in the magazine. She is joined by the economist – and former 'Trussketeer' – Julian Jessop, to discuss whether we are entering a new era of economic uncertainty (01:06).<br><br>Also this week:<br><br>In the magazine, <em>The Spectator’s</em> deputy features editor Gus Carter says that the culture of toxic masculinity has gone too far, and that young men are being marginalised in schools and online as they are repeatedly told that they are a danger to women. He is joined by the <em>Times</em> columnist Hugo Rifkind, to explore how today's sexual politics is impacting young men (13:21).<br><br>And finally:<br><br>In the books section of the magazine, Philip Hensher reviews Oliver Soden’s new biography of the actor, writer, singer and playwright Noel Coward. Oliver joins the podcast alongside regular <em>Spectator</em> contributor Alexander Larman to consider Coward's life and legacy (27:44). <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>Sam Leith's guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is the writer and editor Ian Buruma, to talk about his new book <em>Collaborators: Three Stories of Deception and Survival in World War Two</em>. A Chinese princess who climbed into bed with Japanese nationalist gangsters; an observant Jew who sold his co-religionists to the Nazis; and Himmler’s personal masseur. Ian describes how their stories link and resonate, and how murky morality gets in a time where truth loses its meaning altogether.<br><br>Produced by Cindy Yu.</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>Winston speaks with Twitter files journalist David Zweig just as the Twitter files scandal goes to congress. They discuss the significance of the hearing, Big Tech/government censorship, what he uncovered when working on the story, the failure of journalists and government during Covid, myocarditis, mask-efficiency, and the link between free speech and bodily autonomy.</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>Eleanor is a features writer and columnist for the<em> Daily Telegraph</em> where she writes the the regular food column The Art of Friday Night Dinner. Her new book – of the same name – is released on the 30th March and includes recipes for every kind of Friday night. <br><br>On the podcast she reminisces about her mother's famous tomato sauce, takes us through her perfect Friday night and explains why she has always loved gathering friends around the kitchen table.<br><br>(Photo credit: Sophie Davidson)</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 The Spectator’s deputy editor speaks to Andrew Cockburn and Danielle Lee Tomson about the battle for the American right – who will win out of Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump? Also on the show, Katy Balls looks at the Home Secretary’s plans to stop migrant crossings; Ann Törnkvist on Swedish gang violence; Mary Wakefield debates Mary Dejevsky on whether cyclists should be allowed on pavements and Francesca Peacock talks about the politics of corsets. <br><br>00:00 Welcome from Freddy Gray<br>02:54 Who will win the American right? With Andrew Cockburn and Danielle Lee Tomson<br>23:44 Is Suella Braverman in trouble over the illegal migrant bill? With Katy Balls<br>31:16 Why has Sweden become so violent? With Ann Tornkvist<br>44:24 Should cyclists be allowed on pavements? With Mary Wakefield and Mary Dejevsky <br>56:20 Are corsets cancelled? With Francesca Peacock <br><br>Theme song written and performed by Jon Barker © 2020 Jonathan Stewart Barker <br>Publisher Jonathan Stewart Barker 100%, administered by <a href="http://prsformusic.com">prsformusic.com</a><br>Recording © 2020 Jonathan Stewart Barker 100%, administered by <a href="http://ppl.com">ppl.com</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>This week: James Heale asks whether the cabinet secretary Simon Case can carry on (01:00), Cosmo Landesman tells the story of when a man – and his axe – came to visit his home in London (05:03), and Miranda Morrison warns against the damaging obsession with STEM in secondary schools (11:10). <br><br>Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson. <br><br>Photo Credit: © The Estate of Tom Picton</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 Shawn McCreesh, a features writer at New York Magazine who recently spent time with Republican Congressman, George Santos.</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 cover piece of this week's magazine, deputy editor Freddy Gray writes about the fight for the American right: it's Don (Trump) vs Ron (DeSantis). Who will win? On the podcast, Freddy is joined by Amber Athey, Washington editor of <em>The Spectator</em>'s world edition. (00:37)<br><br>Political editor Katy Balls writes in this week's magazine that small boats are a big election issue. Rishi Sunak has promised to stop the illegal crossings, but what will it cost him? Katy is on the podcast with <em>Spectator</em> contributor Patrick O'Flynn. (10:49)<br><br>And finally, would you let a man with an axe into your house for the sake of art? Cosmo Landesman's father did, and he writes about it in the magazine's arts pages this week. Cosmo joins the podcast with Igor Toronyi-Lalic, <em>The Spectator</em>'s arts editor, to talks about destructive art. (20:28)<br><br>Presented by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.<br><br>Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Max Jeffery.</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, my guest is Sara Wheeler, who looks back on her travelling life in <em>Glowing Still: A Woman's Life on the Road. </em>She tells me why it's 'a book about tits and toilets', as well as a meditation on the past and future of travel writing and a lament for the books – in one case thanks to having children and the other to the modern fatwa on 'cultural appropriation' – she <em>didn't </em>get to write.</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>Winston speaks with Perrier Award-winning comedian, writer, author and co-founder of gay rights charity Stonewall, Simon Fanshawe. They discuss the history of Stonewall, Fanshawe’s recent book ‘The Power of Difference’, his new company Diversity by Design, and how it aims to promote diversity in the workplace. Together they debate the case for and against diversity and Stonewall's 'strategic pivot' towards trans rights. </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>