The British right is up for grabs. As May's local elections approach, the Conservatives face strong competition from Reform UK.

Join the Spectator's assistant editor, Isabel Hardman, for the spectator debate, the fight for the right, on Wednesday, the 29th of April in London.

We will pit the Conservatives represented by Matthew Saeed and Dominic Johnson against Reform UK, represented by Matt Goodwin and Danny Kruger.

To see which party truly represents the future of the right,

book your tickets at spectator.com forward slash fight.

Hello and welcome to Spectator Out Loud, where each week we choose some of our favourite pieces from the magazine and ask their writers to read them aloud. I'm Patrick Gibbons

and on this week's podcast from our Easter special, Lisa Hazeldine reports from Svalbard and explains

why Russia has its eyes on the

Norwegian archipelago. Matthew Paris ponderes the theme of self-sacrifice as he reflects on the Iran

crisis through Holy Week. Damian Thompson assesses how Pope Leo the 14th is quietly reshaping

the Vatican, almost a year on from his election. Peter Pomerantsev reviews Jack Watling's statecraft,

the new rule of power in a divided world.

Chas Nuky Burden provides his notes on marathons.

And finally, from Provence,

Katrina Olding reflects on comfort and companionship.

Up first, Lisa Hazeldine.

The Quiet Hillside by Longyear-Bins Church gives visitors to the capital of Norway's Svalbard

Archipelago, an austere but beautiful panorama of the bay that cradles the town.

Tall, sharply steep mountains, blanketed with snow, collide with the blue-gray waters of the Arctic below.

From that hillside, I watched the quiet bustle of Long Yibin.

Since Donald Trump threatened NATO with the biggest crisis in the alliance's history

by stating his desire to take control of Greenland in the name of US, quote-unquote,

...