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Hello and welcome to Spectator Out Loud.

Each week we choose some of our favourite pieces from the magazine and ask their writers to read them aloud.

I'm Oscar Evanston and on the podcast this week.

Matthew Paris asks what's left to say about the Tories.

Laurie Graham discusses her struggle to see a GP.

Rachel Johnson says that women don't want women-only clubs.

Laura Gascoigne tells us the truth about Caravaggio's last painting,

and Angus Colwell reads his notes on wild garlic. Up first, Matthew

Paris. Spare a thought for us political commentators. We stare into the void between now and a

presumed decisive Labour victory in a presumed autumn general election, haunted by the need to say

something significant on a weekly basis

at least. Yet, there seems so little left to say. Until recently, we could perhaps speculate that

the election might be next month, but it's surely too late now, even for that surprise. So,

autumn, we say. No surprise there. We think we know

the winner, too, labour, easily. I struggle with betting terminology, but at glance at online odds,

suggest to me that if you bet five pounds, there'll be an election in October to December

2024 and win, you'll get six pounds back.

And if you bet successfully on the next Prime Minister, you'll get six pounds for every five pounds you put on Keir Stama.

...