Best of the Spectator

<div>Michelle Donelan was elected in 2015 as a Conservative MP for Chippenham. Since then, she has been re-elected twice and has risen in her political roles. Starting as a member of the education select committee and becoming a whip, to then being appointed a minister, first of children and families, and then in the latest cabinet reshuffle, becoming minister of state for higher and further education. On the episode, Michelle talks about how she had decided on a career in politics at the age of six, working for World Wrestling Entertainment, and what surprised her when she first entered 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>In this week’s episode: Is Boris Johnson done for? </div><div><br></div><div>In this week’s Spectator cover story, our political editor James Forsyth and our deputy political editor Katy Balls write about Boris Johnson’s perilous position in the aftermath of the Partygate scandal. They join the podcast to predict the Prime Minister’s fate. (00:40)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Also this week: Is there a dangerous side to self-improvement?</div><div><br></div><div>The hashtag manifesting has had billions of impressions on social media in the last year. Younger generations love it and Mary Wakefield explores this viral phenomenon in her column this week. She joins the podcast along with Ally Head, the health and sustainability editor for Marie Claire UK who has interviewed a number of manifestation experts. (14:36)</div><div> </div><div><br></div><div>And finally: how attractive are your feet? </div><div><br></div><div>Kate Andrews, the Spectator’s economics editor, made an unusual discovery at the end of last year. Pictures of her in flip flops had made it onto a particular website, Wikifeet – ‘the internet’s largest collaborative celebrity feet website’. Kate wrote about her surprising discovery in this week’s magazine, and she joins the podcast along with Theresa Bedford, a personal finance and investing expert who has written about the best ways to sell pictures of your feet online. (28:59)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore</div><div><br></div><div>Produced by Sam Holmes</div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to The Spectator<em> </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</a> </div><div><br></div><div>Listen to Lara's food podcast Table Talk:</div><div><a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/table-talk">https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/table-talk </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's Book Club podcast addresses one of the most misunderstood and vilified concepts in the culture wars: postmodernism. How did this arcane theoretical position escape from academia to become a social media talking point? What the hell is it anyway? What does Jeff Koons have to do with Foucault? Is postmodernism out to destroy capitalism, or is it capitalism incarnate? And what comes after postmodernism? Stuart Jeffries - author of <em>Everything, All The Time, Everywhere: How We Became Postmodern </em>- puts it all in quotes for 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>'If table tennis set the stage for China’s international diplomacy, then volleyball rebuilt the nation’s confidence', ran one article in the <em>People's Daily</em> around the time of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Sports has had a long political history in China, Cindy Yu's guest in this week's Chinese Whispers tells her. She is Dr Susan Brownell, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Missouri. She has been in and out of China since the 1980s, when she went to Peking University as a student and ended up represented the institution as a track runner.<br><br></div><div>On this episode, Cindy finds out why exactly China cares about the Olympics just so much. And it certainly does – Susan and Cindy reminisce about 2008, when China spent $100 million on a four-hour long opening ceremony and $7 billion on the whole Games. Working in Beijing that year, Susan saw, firsthand, the excitement that local officials and people put into the preparations ('There were huge programmes to teach English to everybody, especially in Beijing. You know, the old ladies and the taxi drivers'), but also the fear and intensity that came with this – 'all the government officials involved in the effort were just kind of quaking'.<br><br></div><div>The reason for all this – and the reason why a snub at the imminent Winter Olympics, as numerous countries around the world announce boycotts, will be remembered by China – is because sports has long been political. In the ping pong diplomacy of the 1970s, games played between Chinese and American teams allowed Nixon's America and Mao's China to get closer to each other. In the five women's volleyball team world victories of the 1980s, China was able to find a new source of national pride, as its people tried to recover from the wounds of the Cultural Revolution. In 2008, seven years after accession to the WTO and at a time when a more liberal China could still be imagined, the Summer Olympics provided a chance to show the world what 21st century China was all about. 'It was China's coming out party', Susan says.<br><br></div><div>To be sure, this Olympics matters less – winter Olympics always do, and after all, China has 'already emerged as a superpower'. But even so, it will have a political dimension – just see how China eagerly invited President Putin last year. <br><br></div><div>On the episode, they also make a brief digression into the demolitions that happened in Beijing – leading to headlines in the <em>New York Times</em> like '<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/world/asia/12beijing.html">Olympics Imperil Historic Beijing Neighborhood</a>'. Susan corrects media reports and says that, in fact, in the areas reconstructed for the Games, it was mainly small shops not residences that were destroyed. She befriended one man who was dislocated from his mechanical repair shop there and became a taxi driver because of the Olympics, and Cindy reflects on her memories of a 'demolition era', where China's rapid growth meant the words<em> chaiqian</em> (demolish and relocate) were commonly marked on old buildings across Chinese cities. But tune in to hear how some ingenious Chinese – including members of Cindy's family – welcomed the destruction of their property as it allowed them to game the system of government compensation.</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, we’ll hear from Douglas Murray on why he thinks that the Coronavirus is over. (00:51)</div><div><br></div><div>Next, Nyrola Elimä on her family’s experiences as Uighurs living under the rule of the CCP. (08:27)</div><div><br></div><div>And finally, Theo Hobson on why the different factions of the Church of England need to come together. (16:54)</div><div><br></div><div>Produced and presented by Sam Holmes<br><br>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</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>2022 has only just begun but a lot of minds in American politics are already looking towards the next presidential election in 2024. For the Republicans, the big question is will Donald Trump be their nominee and if he isn't who will fill that very large hole? Freddy Gray sits down with the editor of Modern Age, Daniel McCarthy. </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 episode: Is it time to rip up the idea of vaccine passports? </div><div><br></div><div>In <em>The Spectator</em>’s cover story this week, our economics editor Kate Andrews writes about her disdain for the idea of vaccine passports after being exposed to their flaws first hand. She joins the podcast along with Professor Julian Savulescu from the University of Oxford. (01:01)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Also this week: Is Covid putting a spotlight on understudies?</div><div><br></div><div>In this week's <em>Spectator</em>, Sarah Crompton champions the understudy as one of the heroes of the pandemic. These are the community of stand-in actors who have kept productions alive during Covid. She is joined on the podcast by Chris Howell, understudy to Michael Ball in Hairspray last year and currently stand-in for Julian Clary at the Palladium, to discuss. (18:06)</div><div> </div><div><br></div><div>And finally: Is being cancelled a badge of honour?</div><div><br></div><div>The comedian Stewart Lee announced his pedal bin list for the new year. Essentially people he wants to put in the bin. In <em>The Spectator</em> this week Julie Burchill who is on the list writes about her excitement to be featured. Joining the podcast are two others who made the list: journalist Martha Gill and Winston Marshall formally of the band Mumford and Sons, but who this year is joining <em>The Spectator</em> family with his new show, Marshall Matters. (28:59)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore</div><div><br></div><div>Produced by Sam Holmes</div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</a> </div><div><br></div><div>Listen to Lara's food podcast Table Talk:</div><div><a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/table-talk">https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/table-talk </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>It's been one year since a large number of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in Washington DC to try and prevent the certification of the 2020 presidential election. There are still many questions surrounding that infamous day and to look for some answers Freddy Gray talks with John Daniel Davidson, a senior editor at the Federalist.</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's guest in this week's Book Club podcast is Natalie Livingstone – whose new book <em>The Women of Rothschild: The Untold Story of the World's Most Famous Dynasty </em>gives the distaff dish on the banking family's long history. She discovers that the Rothschild women have been just as remarkable as the men – from early modern matriarchs to jazz-club butterflies. </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>Poppy O'Toole (known online as Poppy_Cooks) is a Michelin-trained chef who lost her job in March of 2020 due to Covid. To pass the time during lockdown she started posting cooking videos on TikTok. Her potato series made her a viral sensation, garnering millions of views. This success has led to her publishing her first cookbook, <em>Poppy Cooks: The Food You Need. </em>On the podcast Poppy talks to Lara and Olivia about learning from a very young age how to cook with her grandma, the pressures of cooking in a bank, and what is needed to make the perfect TikTok food video.</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>Camilla Tominey is known on both sides of the pond as one of the world's go-to Royal correspondents. She began her career in journalism at the Hemel Hempstead Gazette before moving to cover the Royals for the Daily Express and is now the associate editor at the Telegraph. On the episode, she talks to Katy about how studying law ended up inspiring her to get into journalism, the differences between coving politics and the Royal family and the perils of engaging on social media.</div><div><br></div><div><em>'I've been accused on the same day of being a far-right extremist and a socialist.'</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>Had Covid-19 not continued to dominate the headlines this year, there's little doubt that the outcomes of the Brexit deal would have been at the forefront of our policy discussions. Britain has left the EU with a bespoke trade agreement, but it's far from perfect, as the Northern Ireland Protocol continues to cause problems, especially for trade flow between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. What have digital solutions done so far to get closer to our goal of seamless trade? Has it been enough? What problems are still left to solve and do the realities of Brexit simply mean that we can now never fully escape these new regulatory burdens?<br><br>To discuss, Kate Andrews is joined by Frank Dunsmuir, Head of Customs and International Trade Practice at Fujitsu; Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive of Manufacturing NI; and Shanker Singham, Chief Executive of Competere and an advisor to Fujitsu.<br><br>This podcast is sponsored by Fujitsu.</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>Pope Francis renewed his campaign against the Latin Mass this month, permitting his liturgy chief Archbishop Arthur Roche to issue all manner of threats to clergy celebrating the ancient liturgy. This 'clarification' has been greeted with horror by bishops around the world, including many who aren't keen on the old rite. <br><br></div><div>This episode of Holy Smoke puts this outrage in the context of what one distinguished priest calls the 'Wild West' of the Bergoglio pontificate. Never have I known such widespread despair among all but the most hardline liberal clergy. That this should be happening at Christmas underlines the grim unfairness of it all – and the desperate need for regime change in the Church. And if that means the Vatican as we know it ceases to exist, perhaps that isn't such a bad thing. </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>What are the greener solutions for heating Britain's homes? The government estimates that heating residential homes accounts for around 15 per cent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, many households are concerned about the future of their gas boilers and energy bills. The government laid out its heat and building strategy this October, but do their plans address these worries? And if heat pumps and hydrogen boilers are inevitable, can we find a fair way to achieve that green future, without unnecessarily burdening the poorest in society?<br><br>Kate Andrews, <em>The Spectator</em>'s economics editor discusses all this with three experts in the field: Chris O'Shea, the chief executive officer at Centrica, Dr Tina Fawcett, the acting leader of the energy research team at the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, and the co-director of the Centre for Research Into Energy Demand, and Jacob Young, who is the MP for Redcar and chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Hydrogen.<br><br>This podcast is kindly sponsored by Centrica.</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>Everyone knows somebody who has asthma. 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment and 200,000 of them have severe asthma. A form of the condition that doesn’t typically respond well to medication. For many, asthma is a severe and debilitating condition but there exists a disconnect between its severity and the organisation of resources to treat it. When it comes to treating an illness, remission is rarely black and white, but for asthma it's commonly steroids.<br><br></div><div>What if anything is the alternative? Steroids have become the frenemy of both patients and the healthcare system. On the one hand, they’re cheap to administer and largely effective. But on the other, the side effects they produce can be very difficult for patients and costly.<br><br></div><div>Joining Kate Andrews to discuss all this is Gabby Perry, who is a student and has severe asthma; Syed Ali, medical affairs manager at AstraZeneca; David Price, professor of primary respiratory medicine at the University of Aberdeen who's currently leading the first international severe asthma registry.<em><br><br></em><br></div><div><strong><em>This podcast is kindly sponsored and co-created by AstraZeneca.</em></strong><em><br><br>The patient's individual experience of severe asthma and discussion in this podcast are not medical advice. If you have questions about your own health please discuss with your health care professional.</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>Beatrice ‘Bee’ Wilson is an acclaimed food writer and journalist, who has authored several books on topics from how bees make honey to the history of the sandwich. On the podcast, Bee discusses the fad of clean eating, how the internet has changed food culture, working with her charity TasteEd, her time as a contestant on Masterchef, and the experience of working on her first cookbook, The Secret of Cooking. She has also written the foreword for the reissue of Kathleen le Riche’s 1950s book ‘Cooking Alone’, which is available now in all good bookshops.</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 world economy is bouncing back from the economic impacts of Covid 19. It has been bumpy year of recovery with labour shortages and consistent inflationary pressures. But it hasn't been all doom and gloom. <br><br>Kate Andrews, the Spectator's economic's editor reviews this financial year. She is joined by Martin Vander Weyer, the Spectator's business editor and Paul Abberley, chief executive of Charles Stanley group. <br><br><em>This podcast is kindly sponsored by Charles Stanley. The recording took place just before the Bank of England announced the rise of interest rates to 0.25%. </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 this week's very special Christmas episode, we'll hear from Lara Prendergast on why she’s planning to party hard this Christmas. (00:57)</div><div><br></div><div>Next, Christopher Howse on those helping to preserve the UK’s medieval churches. (06:31)<br><br>Then it's, Lionel Shriver on the Covid heretics she admires most. (16:41)<br><br>Followed by, Peter Hitchens on Christmas in Russia during the last days of the Soviet Union. (25:23)<br><br>Penultimately, we have Joanna Lumley on getting the key to the Sistine Chapel. (35:69)</div><div><br></div><div>And finally, Caroline Moore on how ghost stories became a British Christmas tradition.</div><div>(41:51)</div><div><br></div><div>Produced and presented by Sam Holmes<br><br>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator</em> magazine this Christmas and get the next 12 issues – in print and online – for just £12. Not only that but you’ll also receive a bottle of Taittinger champagne, worth £42, to see you through to the new year. Join the party today at <a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/celebrate">www.spectator.co.uk/celebrate</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>Douglas Murray joins Freddy Gray for a look back at yet another tumultuous year in American politics. They discuss the irreconcilable divide between left and right, the origins of Covid-19, the war in Afghanistan, the fallout from the 2020 election and much more, including the temptations of a bottle of Glenmorangie whiskey. </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>Tzipi Hotovely is the current Israeli Ambassador to the UK. She was formerly a politician in Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, having climbed the ranks to become deputy foreign minister. On the episode, she talks to Katy about her 2,500 strong wedding reception, campaigning for mother's rights in Israel and what modern-day anti-Semitism look like.<br><br></div><div>They also discuss the time when she had to be escorted out of the LSE for her own safety, in the face of an aggressive student protest. She reflects: <br><br></div><blockquote>'Think about it. Does it make sense? I’m the only foreign ambassador that needs to have such heavy protection when I go on campus. Aren’t campuses all about freedom of speech?'</blockquote> <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 the special Christmas episode of The Edition! </div><div><br></div><div>In this episode, we look at five major topics that dominated the news this year and the pages of <em>The Spectator</em>. </div><div><br></div><div>First up a review of the year in politics with our resident Coffee House Shot's team James Forsyth, Katy Balls and Isabel Hardman. We discuss how Boris seemed to make such a strong start to the year through the vaccine rollout, but squandered this goodwill with several own goals. We also touch on some of the big political moments of the year: Partygate, the Owen Paterson affair and of course Matt Hancock. (00:39)</div><div><br></div><div>Next, we go global and look at three of the major powerhouses that took headlines this year. The EU, who ends the year in a panic over Russia, extreme Covid measures, and upcoming elections. The US started with an insurrection and ended with President Biden's plummeting poll numbers. Finally, China, who if you ask them say they are doing just fine. Lara Prendergast is joined by Jonathan Miller, Douglas Murray, and Cindy Yu to discuss the state of the world. (22:34)</div><div><br></div><div>Then, a subject we all hoped to be leaving in the rearview mirror. Covid. With so much misinformation out there, the one important thing to have is good data, which is why we built <em>The Spectator</em>’s Covid data hub, and William Moore is joined on the podcast by three people who spend an ungodly amount of time going through those figures. <em>The Spectator</em> editor Fraser Nelson, Michael Simmons (who puts the data hub together and is making his podcast debut), and our economics editor Kate Andrews. (40:52)</div><div><br></div><div>We chose our penultimate segment by looking back at all the most read articles of the year and chose the subject that appeared the most. The Royal Family won by a landslide, and it has been a big year for them. To break down the year’s big Royal moments and try and figure out why we are so obsessed with this family, Lara Prendergast and William Moore sat down with Freddy Gray and Patrick Jephson. (59:37)</div><div><br></div><div>And finally, The Edition's producer has given William Moore an early Christmas present. The Church of England is one of his favourite things to talk about, because of how important he thinks it is for our society, but also because of the many issues he has with how it is run. Will gets stuck into it with four amazing priests – Marcus Walker, Daniel French, Nicholas Cranfield, and Steve Morris – who see out the year by telling us their favourite Christmas carols. (01:13:04)</div><div><br></div><div>Hosted by Lara Prendergast & Will Moore</div><div><br></div><div>Produced by Sam Holmes</div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator</em> magazine this Christmas and get the next 12 issues – in print and online – for just £12. Not only that but you’ll also receive a bottle of Taittinger champagne, worth £42, to see you through to the new year. Join the party today at <a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/celebrate">www.spectator.co.uk/celebrate</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>Sam's guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is the writer Siri Hustvedt, whose latest book is a collection of essays: <em>Mothers, Fathers and Others</em>. She tells Sam what literary critics get wrong, why she has a rubber brain on her desk, how Ancient Greek misogyny is still with us, why the 17th-century Duchess of Newcastle has yet to get her due – and how long it took her to stop smiling politely when people said her husband wrote her books…</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>We've long known that where you live, who you live with, how you grew up and your quality of life can have long-lasting consequences for your health. Socioeconomic backgrounds are directly linked to healthcare outcomes. Those that live in inner-city neighbourhoods with dense populations and traffic are likely to have different health outcomes than residents living in leafy suburban London. But what does this mean for healthcare workers and policymakers? Do doctors now have to think about air pollution and green spaces to encourage a healthier population? is this holistic view of health helpful? Or indeed possible? <br><br>Kate Andrews is joined by a panel of experts to tackle these questions. Charmaine Griffiths is head of the British Heart Foundation, Chinmay Bhatt who is the managing director of the pharmaceutical company, Novartis in the UK and Ireland. And Sir Michael Marmot whose been looking at this question in today's Britain. <br><br><em>This podcast episode is sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK and editorially owned by The Spectator. Views and ideas expressed are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the sponsor.</em><br><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>We've long known that where you live, who you live with, how you grow up, and how much money you have can have long lasting consequences for you health. Those that live in inner city neighbourhoods are far more exposed to health risks such as air pollution or drug abuse compared to leafy suburban residents.<br><br>Does this connection between socioeconomic background and health fall on the responsibility of healthcare professionals and policymakers? Do nurses and doctors now also have to think about air pollution and green spaces? And is this holistic view of health helpful and indeed possible?<br><br>In a special episode, Kate Andrews is joined by a panel of experts in this field. Charmaine Griffiths is the chief executive of the British Heart Foundation. Chinmay Bhatt is the managing director for the pharmaceutical company, Novartis in the UK and Ireland. And Sir Michael Marmot is a professor in epidemiology and public health at University College London.<br><br><em>This podcast episode is sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK and editorially owned by The Spectator. Views and ideas expressed are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the sponsor.</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>When the tennis star Peng Shuai had a row with her former lover, the retired Party cadre Zhang Gaoli, she took to Weibo, the Chinese social media platform, where she had half a million followers. It was in that statement that she accused Zhang of starting their affair with sexual assault.<br><br>The statement was taken down within minutes, demonstrating the power, speed – and, arguably, the manual nature – of China’s online censors. On this podcast, we’ve previously talked about the nature of journalism in China – but what about social media, that inherently decentralised medium? What role does the digital space play in Chinese lives, how reliable is it as a source of Chinese public opinion, and how do people feel about being monitored and, potentially, censored?<br><br>On the podcast, Cindy Yu speaks to Manya Koetse, the founder of <a href="http://whatsonweibo.com">whatsonweibo.com</a>, which collates and translates the latest trends and topics from the platform into English; as well as Shen Lu, a reporter for <em>Protocol</em> who covers China and tech.<br><br></div><div>With Manya, they muse about what censorship does to a nation's online discussion: the focus turns to policy issues like health and safety standards, or more superficial discussions like pets and travel. Yet during the early days of the pandemic last year, we both witnessed an incredible night where, on Weibo, WeChat, and other platforms, Dr Li Wenliang's death prompted a universal outpouring of grief. Manya tells Cindy that: ‘Dr Li was a story that was too big to censor... censoring all of those discussions would have actually caused more unrest’.<br><br></div><div>Since the pandemic, the digital sphere has also become more nationalistic: <br><br></div><blockquote>'The Hong Kong protests definitely was the moment when I saw this new wave of nationalism online, which you’ve always had, but especially the last two years it’s been so clear. Covid-19 has only strengthened the wave that started back then’</blockquote><div>Cindy also speaks to Shen Lu, who tells her about her experience being censored on Weibo when reporting on China's MeToo movement. Censorship has only become worse in recent years – she says: ' I can no longer tell which friend is which, because we started to self-censor'. More optimistically though, Lu tells Cindy that all the same political conversations among liberal minded young Chinese are still happening – simply offline, these days.</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, we’ll hear from Douglas Murray on the political fate of US vice president Kamala Harris. (00:58)</div><div><br></div><div>Next, Mary Wakefield on her experience during storm Arwen and subsequent media coverage. (09:39)</div><div><br></div><div>And finally, Peter Hitchens on his fears regarding the future of the city of Oxford. (15:58)</div><div><br></div><div>Produced and presented by Sam Holmes<br><br>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</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 trial of Ghislaine Maxwell has gripped the world, a woman accused of truly horrendous crimes. But have we as a society thrown out the cardinal rule of innocent until proven guilty? Freddy Gray sits down with her brother Ian Maxwell who believes that her treatment pre-trial has been nothing short of torturous. </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 the Glasgow climate jamboree ended after two weeks, COP26 President Alok Sharma broke down in tears and seemed to apologise for his failure to get countries like China and India on side. But now that the dust has settled from Glasgow's COP26 summit, but how will this one be remembered? There were protestors, no shows from state leaders and new commitments were made whilst backroom wrangling had mixed results.<br><br>What are the key factors that make these summits a success? Given the mammoth task ahead of the countries that have committed to tacking climate change, is it realistic to expect real change?<br><br>In this podcast, Cindy Yu is joined by seasoned professionals in climate change and sustainability. Harriet Lamb, CBE and CEO of Ashden which is an organisation that supports and promotes sustainable energy enterprises. Emily Thornberry MP who is shadow attorney general but was Labour's shadow international trade secretary at the time of recording this podcast. Finally, Simone Rossi, who is the CEO of EDF Energy.<br><br>This podcast is kindly sponsored by EDF Energy.</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 episode: Is there any substance to the government’s new drugs agenda?</div><div><br></div><div>In The Spectator this week Fraser Nelson writes the cover story on the government’s new 10 years drugs plan and finds that while on the surface this seems like a new war on drugs, it might actually have some thoughtful and effective policies buried within it. Fraser is joined on the podcast by Christopher Snowden, the head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs. (00:52)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Also this week: Can Islam save Britain’s churches?</div><div><br></div><div>Britain has for a long time now has been becoming a more and more secular nation. This has meant that many churches that used to have full pews are at risk of turning into luxury flats or another Tesco Express. But in this week’s Spectator, Tanjil Rashid highlights another destiny for these buildings. Conversion into mosques. In the piece, he argues these buildings should continue being a place of faith even if that faith is not Christian. He joins Lara along with Christopher Howse, the author of many a book about religious history and architecture. (13:46)</div><div> </div><div><br></div><div>And finally: Are we witnessing the twilight of the necktie? </div><div><br></div><div>Lockdowns meant we all got used to working from home, which resulted in a much more casual dress code. It feels very strange to wear a suit around your own house. But Jonathan Miller is worried that this may lead to the end of the necktie, a fashion accessory he believes is an important symbol of traditional masculinity. He joins Lara to expand on that idea along with fashion historian Dr. Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell. (25:47)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hosted by Lara Prendergast</div><div><br></div><div>Produced by Sam Holmes</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</a> </div><div><br></div><div>Listen to Lara's food podcast Table Talk:</div><div><a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/table-talk">https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcasts/table-talk </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>Sam's guest in this week's Book Club podcast is Kevin Birmingham, whose new book <em>The Sinner and The Saint: Dostoevsky, A Crime and its Punishment</em>, tells the extraordinary story of how Dostoevsky came to write Crime and Punishment – and the under-explored story of the real-life murderer whose case inspired it. Physical agony, Siberian exile, vicious state censorship, old-school nihilists – and the astonishing personal resilience of one of Russia's greatest writers... it's all here.</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>Lord Alf Dubs is a politician. He moved to the UK as a child when the Nazis invaded what was then Czechoslovakia, and went on to become an MP, a parliamentary under secretary for Northern Ireland, and a member of the House of Lords. He is a campaigner for refugee rights.<br><br>On the podcast, he tells Lara and Olivia about his evacuation from Prague, eating langoustine straight from a loch in Northern Ireland, and putting on a 'Stormont stone'.<br><br>If you enjoyed this episode, then sign up to Olivia's newsletter, The Take Away. You'll get her delicious recipes, and <em>The Spectator</em>'s best food and drink writing. Go to <a href="https://spectator.co.uk/oliviapotts">spectator.co.uk/oliviapotts</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>On this week's episode, we’ll hear from Wolfgang Munchau on the political situation in Germany. (00:49)</div><div><br></div><div>Next, Andrew Watts on his year long battle against a parking ticket. (11:01)</div><div><br></div><div>And finally, Hannah Tomes on her love of Baileys. (15:33)</div><div><br></div><div>Produced and presented by Sam Holmes<br><br>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</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>Bridget Phillipson is the shadow education secretary and MP for Houghton and Sunderland South. On this episode, recorded just before Labour's last reshuffle where Bridget was promoted, she talks to Katy about what it was like to go to Oxford from a humble upbringing, how Labour can win the next election, and why she didn't take career advice from school telling her to be a fence-builder.</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 episode: Is the current NHS crisis a bug or a feature?</div><div><br></div><div>In the Spectator’s cover story this week, our economics editor Kate Andrews writes about the state of the NHS and why even though reform is so clearly needed it's nearly politically impossible to try to do so. She joins the podcast with Isabel Hardman who is currently writing a book on the history of the NHS. (00:53)<br><br></div><div><br></div><div>Also this week: How is the nation feeling about the Omicron variant?</div><div><br></div><div>The news of the Omicron variant has not only worried the public about what may become of their Christmas plans, but the government has also reacted by bringing in new travel restrictions and mask mandates. Two of our columnists Lionel Shriver and Rod Liddle have both given their views on the latest pandemic precautions in week’s magazine and on the podcast they continue those conversations. (16:25)</div><div> </div><div><br></div><div>And finally: Now it’s December can we open the Baileys?</div><div><br></div><div>Now it’s December, Christmas celebrations can begin. Our own Hannah Tomes has written about one of her favourite festive delights. Baileys. She joins the podcast along with another Irish cream connoisseur, Lara Prendergast, and the Spectator’s Deputy Editor Freddy Gray who heard we were drinking Baileys and couldn’t resist. (33:02)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hosted by Lara Prendergast</div><div><br></div><div>Produced by Sam Holmes</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</a> </div><div><br>Listen to Isabel's podcast on the NHS post Covid, Aftershock:<br><a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/The-NHS-edition">https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/The-NHS-edition</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>Money is not generally discussed at the dinner table, and inheritance even less so. So, do parents do enough to pass down responsible personal finance habits to the next generation? And if not, how can those conversations be had? On this live recording of The Spectator’s Women With Balls podcast, deputy political editor Katy Balls will be joined by Charlotte Ransom and Dame Helena Morrissey to discuss breaking the taboo around money and offering practical tips on investing across the generations. <br><br>Sponsored by Netwealth.</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 year Faber and Faber started the project of republishing the late Nobel Laureate William Golding's back catalogue -- starting with <em>Pincher Martin</em>, <em>The Inheritors </em>and <em>The Spire</em>. Sam is joined by his daughter Judy Golding -- author of <em>The Children of Lovers: A Memoir of William Golding By His Daughter</em>-- to talk about Golding the writer and Golding the man. What were the deep fears that drove his work and were eased by drink? How did the war change his worldview? And what was the nature of the religious sensibility that underpinned his visionary allegories of folly and evil?</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>Sun Yat-sen was the founding father of China's first republic, when the Qing dynasty was overthrown. Here he sits, with his successor Chiang Kai-Shek standing behind. They were two among many intellectuals and politicians whose agitations helped contribute to modern Chinese national identity. In his book, <em>The Invention of China</em>, journalist Bill Hayton argues that this is where 'China' and the key parts that contribute to a modern Chinese identity - territorial claims, ethnicities, history and so on - were moulded into an 'imagined' nationalism.<br><br>Cindy Yu interviews Bill in this episode, and they discuss everything from the contribution of foreign aggressors (especially Japan) to China's modern identity, to the ferocious intellectual debate about which ethnicities are 'Chinese' - just Han? Or Mongols, Manchurians, Tibetans and Uyghurs too? Plus - is any national identity around the world <em>not</em> constructed?</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>Katy Balls speaks to broadcaster Jeremy Vine; Oxford ethics professor Dominic Wilkinson; former Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable; Penguin books editor Henry Eliot; and <em>Spectator</em> journalists Cindy Yu, Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth and Sam Leith.<br><br>We discuss Boris's CBI speech, whether a lockdown of the unvaccinated is morally justifiable, and what makes a classic book.<br><br>Click <a href="https://youtu.be/FwyjRfUsgZQ">here</a> to watch the full 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>On this week's episode, we’ll hear from Douglas Murray who says that the case of Kyle Rittenhouse shows nothing in America matters more than your identity. (00:55)</div><div><br></div><div>Next, Henry Eliot wonders, what makes a book a classic? (08:30)</div><div><br></div><div>And finally, Sam Holmes tells us about his time as a Hamleys Christmas elf. (16:31)</div><div><br></div><div>Produced and presented by Max Jeffery</div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to The Spectator today and we'll send you a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label worth £30</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</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 episode: Just who is protesting new Covid rules in Europe? </div><div><br></div><div>In The Spectator this week we have three articles that cover the riots and protests all over Europe about new covid policies. Two of them report the scene on the ground in different countries. Lionel Barber and Nick Farrell write respectively about the situations in Holland and Italy and talk on the podcast about why this is happening now and how much more it could escalate. (00:45)<br><br></div><div><br></div><div>Also this week: Is China having its own hand and the #MeToo moment?</div><div><br></div><div>A spotlight has been shined on China in recent days, due to the troubling series of events surrounding the Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. Who after making claims of being pressured into a sexual relationship with a CCP official, disappeared for days, as all mentions of her claims were wiped from social media. Cindy Yu writes about this story in this week’s Spectator and talks on the podcast about the history of China’s mistress culture. (14:17)</div><div> </div><div><br></div><div>And finally: What does it take to be a Hamleys elf? </div><div><br></div><div>Christmas is coming and if there are children in your life begging for this season's hottest toy, you might find yourself at Hamleys, the world’s oldest toys store, and as you enter you may well be greeted by a festive elf. But what’s it like being one of these red and green-clad friends of Father Christmas? Our podcast producer Sam Holmes writes in The Spectator this week about his experience as an elf when he was 19. Sam is joined on the podcast by Mark Campbell, the current Lego man at Hamleys and Sam’s old boss from his elf days. (21:00)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hosted by Lara Prendergast</div><div><br></div><div>Produced by Sam Holmes</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</a> </div><div><br></div><div>Listen to Lara’s food-based interview show, <em>Table Talk</em>:</div><div><a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/tabletalk">https://www.spectator.co.uk/tabletalk</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 Grays talks to Mark P Mills, the energy and tech expert at the Manhattan Institute think tank about his new book 'The Cloud Revolution'.</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, Sam is joined by one of the most distinguished poets in the language, Paul Muldoon, to talk about his new book <em>Howdie-Skelp. </em>He tells Sam of his unfashionable belief in inspiration; why he thinks poetry – even his – needn't be difficult just because it's difficult; how writing song lyrics differs from writing poetry; and how he came to work with Sir Paul McCartney. </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 Fennell is a jewellery maker. He has been designing and making jewellery in Fulham, London for over forty years and in 2008 founded The Original Design Partnership. On the podcast, he talks to Lara and Liv about his childhood growing up in the colonies during the last days of the British Empire. He gives his top tips for being the perfect guest (so you never have to cook again), and his love of the fish finger sandwich. <br><br>For more from the world of food, subscribe to Olivia Pott's newsletter, <a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/food-newsletter">The Take Away</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>On this week's episode, we’ll hear from Katy Balls on the political power of Angela Rayner. (00:49)</div><div><br></div><div>Then Lionel Shriver on the unscientific divisions between the vaxxed and unvaxxed. (06:52)</div><div><br></div><div>And finally, Nick Newman looks at the differences between British and American cartooning. (15:47)</div><div><br></div><div>Produced and presented by Sam Holmes</div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to The Spectator today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</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 talks to Pano Kanelos, the president of the newly announced University of Austin, about what his project is hoping to achieve. </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>Sarah Vine is a columnist for the <em>Daily Mail</em> and formerly wife of Cabinet minister Michael Gove. On the podcast, Sarah talks to Katy about growing up in Italy, working her way up tabloid journalism (including what it was like to work for Paul Dacre), and her reflections on being a columnist with a politician (ex-)husband.</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 episode: Are migrants the new munitions? </div><div><br></div><div>In our cover story this week, our political editor James Forsyth looks at the growing troubles in Eastern Europe and how this small part of the world stage could end up splintering the scaffolding of global peace. He is joined on the podcast by Mary Dejevsky, a columnist for <em>the Independent.</em> (00:42)</div><div><br><br></div><div><br></div><div>Also this week: Will the monarchy survive past Elizabeth II?</div><div><br></div><div>The royal family is not in a good way, with the Queen missing multiple appearances due to ill health, a prince under investigation, and the continuing cold war between William and Harry, will the monarchy survive past Elizabeth II? That’s the question Freddy Gray asks in this week’s <em>Spectator</em>. He joins the podcast along with Patrick Jephson a former private secretary to Princess Diana, who also covers the royals in this week’s issue. (17:21)</div><div> </div><div><br><br></div><div>And finally: Why is the mullet making a comeback? </div><div><br></div><div>Mullets. A hairstyle made popular in the 70s, but more recently the butt of many a joke is making something of a fashionable comeback. Hannah Moore writes about the return of the mullet in this week’s <em>Spectator</em>. She joins talks on the podcast with Mike Lawson of <em>Beardbrand</em> who has also noticed this retro <a href="https://www.beardbrand.com/blogs/urbanbeardsman/mullets">return</a>. (29:09)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hosted by Lara Prendergast</div><div><br></div><div>Produced by Sam Holmes</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Subscribe to <em>The Spectator </em>today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:</div><div><a href="http://www.spectator.co.uk/voucher">www.spectator.co.uk/voucher</a> </div><div><br></div><div>Listen to Lara’s food-based interview show, <em>Table Talk</em>:</div><div><a href="https://www.spectator.co.uk/tabletalk">https://www.spectator.co.uk/tabletalk</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>Sam's guest on this week's Book Club podcast is the historian Tessa Dunlop. Tessa's new book is <em>Army Girls: The Secrets and Stories of Military Service from the Final Few Women Who Fought In World War Two</em>. She tells Sam about how she gathered testimony and formed friendships with the nonagenarian veterans of the Second World War amid the Covid lockdown; about the class-ridden rivalries between the women's services; and how while still not officially in the front line, women during the war nevertheless found themselves in the thick of 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>Deng Xiaoping used to say, 'let some people get rich first'. Four decades on from the start of his economic experiment with marketisation, Xi Jinping is, these days, talking about 'common prosperity' instead - prosperity for the many, not the few. But what does this new economic direction mean in practice, and could it, in fact, stifle the very market forces that made so-called 'socialism with Chinese characteristics' so successful?<br><br>Joining Cindy to read between the tea leaves is George Magnus, economist and author of <em>Red Flags: Why Xi's China is in Jeopardy</em>. We discuss how unequal China really is, what we know about common prosperity so far (e.g. arm-twisted philanthropy from billionaires like Jack Ma) and what Chinese public opinion might make of it all.</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 Iain Dale about his new book 'The Presidents', which takes a look at every holder of the office from George Washington to Joe Biden. </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>