Hello and welcome to the edition podcast from The Spectator, where each week we take a look at

what's in the magazine with the writers behind the pieces. I'm Laura Prendergast, the Spectator's

Executive Editor. On this week's episode, as households start to face hosepipe bans across the country,

who's to blame for the water shortages?

Plus, is it time for Tory socialism?

And finally, a sexual civil war is underway in France.

Why are the nudes fighting the prudes?

First up, I'm joined by James Forsyth, our political editor, and Kieran Nelson, spokesperson for Anglian Water.

James, in the magazine this week, Ross Clark places the blame firmly at the door of the water companies for the shortages that we're seeing right now.

Would you agree with him?

I think that you obviously can talk about the drought

and the like, but I think this country should be able to cope with that. I think there has been

a problem of underinvestment. And I mean, that is a problem of the regulatory approach to the water

companies. I think we have this debate where we act as if there are only two models, things can

either be privatised or nationalised. When actually, I think,

you could have privatised utilities, but far more stringent requirements on them to reinvest the

profits that they make back into providing the necessary infrastructure. And I mean, the difference

between a water company and other companies is the householder has no choice who they get their water from. They're in a

particular water area. So there is no market like that. But for that reason, it is essentially a

license to print money. And I think these companies should be required to invest far more than they do

in the infrastructure. I think it is, it is frankly close to scandalous how much water has been lost through leakage

and the fact that we are not building new reservoirs. You know, all of these things, I think,

...