Best of the Spectator

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Emily Wilson, the scholar and translator of Homer and Seneca, among many others. She tells me what tech bros get wrong about the classical world and what Cardi B can teach us about Aristophanes, as we discuss her new book, Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2026

This week: the Henry Nowak case, two-tier policing – and what the latest Mandelson files reveal about Labour.After the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, Michael and Madeline ask whether the police response exposed something deeply wrong in British policing. Has the fear of being accused of racism distorted the way institutions respond to victims? And does this case reveal a wider crisis of confidence in whether the police can act without fear or favour?They also discuss the latest revelations from the Mandelson files. What do the messages tell us about Labour’s welfare problem, Pat McFadden’s private frustrations and Wes Streeting’s views inside government? Has Labour become ‘the Benefits Party’ – and are there still secrets buried in the Mandelson files?Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2026

Freddy Gray is joined by Sarah Beth Spraggins to discuss her piece on Usha Vance, the wife of JD Vance who could be in line to be the next First Lady. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2026

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: William Atkinson sends his dispatch from the Shetland Islands; James Delingpole remembers Malcolm, his ‘gloriously unfiltered’ father; Daisy Dunn reviews Mary Beard’s Talking Classics; and Margaret Mitchell explores corporate dread and the institutional gothic. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 31 May 2026

When it comes to political vision, Keir Starmer’s premiership has been something of a vacuum – and power abhors a vacuum. So cue Tony Blair, who this week has rushed in with a 5,000-word essay on what is wrong with Labour and, depending on who you listen to, either an outdated or radical view of where Britain should be as a country.This has galvanised Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and (finally) Keir Starmer to put down on paper their vision for the country and how to solve the biggest issues we face. But whose is more convincing?Oscar Edmondson discusses the question with James Heale and Rachel Wolf, founding partner at Public First and author of the 2019 manifesto.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2026

For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator's deputy editor Freddy Gray, associate editor – and host of the Holy Smoke podcast – Damian Thompson and consultant psychiatrist and Daily Mail columnist Dr Max Pemberton. This week, the guests examine the Pope's encyclical about Artificial Intelligence (AI), Magnifica Humanitas, which warns of the cost to humanity that this technological revolution could bring. This marks Pope Leo's first major policy intervention, a warning which Spectator editor Michael Gove celebrates in the magazine this week. Michael says that AI will be ‘as transformative as the Industrial Revolution’ yet decisions ‘about where this technology is going and how it might be deployed are concentrated… in perilously few hands’. Damian argues that the Pope has passed the first test of his pontificate, but is AI changing how we view religion? As Max reveals the lies that an AI model told his partner, the guests ponder: could AI really extinguish humanity? Also this week: can you tell the difference between Reform UK and Restore Britain? As a recent poll suggested that Rupert Lowe's Restore could harm Reform's chances in the Makerfield by-election, the team discuss whether they believe the polls and what it means if the Right fracture further. Damian dismisses followers of Restore Britain as 'quite brainwashed young fascists' – what is the appeal of Rupert Lowe? Plus: how weight loss jabs can reduce more than just your appetite for food; why Gen Z are missing out on the pleasures of boozing; and, from dinner with Hugh Grant to meeting the nun Sister Wendy Beckett, the guests reveal the moments from their lives they'd love to relive. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2026

The Spectator's editor Michael Gove ‘was born into a sternly Presbyterian culture’, but – in this week's magazine – is ‘giving thanks to the Pope’ for producing Magnifica Humanitas, his encyclical about artificial intelligence (AI). AI will be ‘as transformative as the Industrial Revolution’ but decisions ‘about where this technology is going and how it might be deployed are concentrated... in perilously few hands’. Michael joins Damian Thompson on Holy Smoke to explain why the document reveals Pope Leo to be 'intellectually confident and coherent', what the Christian response to AI should be and why he believes Catholic social teaching is 'absolutely essential' in instructing us for how to deal with this next technological revolution. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2026

Sam Leith's guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Siri Hustvedt, talking about her new book, Ghost Stories, a memoir of her long and loving marriage to the novelist Paul Auster, and of his death from cancer. Siri tells me why this book ‘needed’ to be written, what their relationship was like, how ‘horrible things’ came to this literary golden couple, and how she explains the experience of being visited, three days after his death, by her husband’s ghost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2026

Peter Murrell's mafia-style SNP & could the Reform-Restore feud hand Burnham Makerfield? This week: the Peter Murrell scandal and the collapse of the SNP’s moral authority. After Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband and the party’s former chief executive pleaded guilty to embezzling more than £400,000 from SNP funds, Michael and Madeline ask what this reveals about the party that dominated Scottish politics for more than a decade. Was this simply one man’s disgrace – or a symptom of a political machine that had grown too powerful, too closed and too complacent? Also on the podcast: the growing split on the right. As Rupert Lowe’s Restore threatens to divide the Reform vote in the Makerfield by-election, could Andy Burnham be saved by a battle between Nigel Farage and his former allies? And finally: the rise of the well-worriers. From Zoe and Oura rings to sleep scores, glucose monitors and heart-rate variability, the middle classes are no longer just trying to be healthy – they are trying to measure every flicker of human existence. Is all this self-tracking making us fitter, or just more neurotic? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2026

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Douglas Murray details his encounter with Labour leadership hopeful Wes Streeting; Flora Watkins explains why the Open Garden scheme is the antidote to the Chelsea Flower Show; and Nicholas Farrell says local nudists are running wild in Ravenna. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 May 2026

Congressman Thomas Massie, one of the most vocal Republican critics of Donald Trump lost his fight for re-election in Kentucky to a Trump-backed challenger. Freddy Gray is joined by Spectator contributors Daniel McCarthy and Christopher Caldwell to discuss where Thomas Massie went wrong, how corruption centred around the campaign, whether or not Trump's success is a reflection of the upcoming midterms and the way Europe reacts to Trump more broadly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 May 2026

The Labour leadership contest may be rumbling on in the background, but today Coffee House turns to the Conservatives – and whether Kemi Badenoch can really revive a party still reeling from electoral collapse.Her allies argue that Badenoch is beginning to cut through: from her conference speech to her response to Rachel Reeves’s Budget, and her decision to sack Robert Jenrick. Her personal ratings have improved, even as the Tory brand remains deeply damaged. But is that enough? Can Badenoch turn the Conservatives into a serious vehicle for change? Is the Tory brand beyond repair? And could the party eventually find itself forced into some kind of deal with Reform?Tim Shipman is joined by Noa Hoffman and Boris Johnson's former director of communications Lee Cain to discuss Kemi’s dilemma – and whether the Conservative party is dead, or merely resting.Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2026

For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator's John Power, feminist campaigner Julie Bindel and former adviser to Boris Johnson – and co-host of the In The Room podcast, Cleo Watson. They explore the idea that the Strait of Hormuz, not Makerfield, will determine the fate of the current Labour government. Starmer may be facing a challenge to his authority from mayoral shapeshifter Andy Burnham, but neither the PM or the wannabe MP will be rewarded if grocery and energy prices continue to soar. How much can be done to insulate Britain from future pain? And do they trust Labour to do so? Also this week: is Wes Streeting a better option than Burnham? Julie reveals her own run-ins with the now-backbench MP but concedes that Wes may be 'the least bad option’. Plus: what can we learn from female political trailblazers of the past? Are there any merits to lists of the greatest books? And, following the release of series two of Rivals, Cleo reveals she was once asked to put together a list of the best orgasm scenes from Jilly Cooper’s novels... Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2026

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Edmund Richardson, author of a new biography of Alexander the Great called Alexander: God, King, Man. Edmund tells me why there is still a fresh story to tell about this most storied of historical figures, why his empire collapsed as soon as it came into being yet nevertheless changed history – and how Alexander conquered the world by mistake. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2026

Maurice Glasman, Labour peer and founder of Blue Labour, has spent years warning that Labour has lost touch with the people it was created to represent. In the first of a two-part conversation on Quite right!, he joins Michael and Maddie to explain why he thinks Keir Starmer’s project was never really Labour at all – and why the party’s working-class traditions have been replaced by progressive liberalism.They discuss Labour’s roots in community, sovereignty and the dignity of work; how Brexit exposed the divide between Labour and liberalism; and whether Starmer’s response to Southport marked a turning point. Maurice also sets out what a genuinely Labour government might have done differently on immigration, welfare, industrial strategy, defence and AI – and why Reform’s rise should not come as a surprise.Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2026

One year on from when Pope Leo became head of the Catholic church and he remains a bit of an enigma. Is he a Conservative or Liberal? What did we learn from his clash with Donald Trump? Damian Thompson is joined by editor of The Pillar Ed Condon and two Spectator favourites – Freddy Gray and Mary Wakefield. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 May 2026

British favourability dropped sharply sometime around 2016 and then further declined in 2024. Trump is clearly the main driver of negative feelings, although not the only one. There was much antipathy in 2020, which may have been related to the election but seems more likely due to the chaotic scenes that followed George Floyd’s death. To discuss this, Freddy Gray is joined by Ed West, who has written about this for his Substack The Wrong Side of History. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 May 2026

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Jeffrey Winters, whose new book The Blind Spot: How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracies makes the case that democracy as it functions now isn’t, as many of us imagine, the only thing keeping the robber barons in check – it is, in fact, the very system that has enabled them to thrive. He tells me how the wealth gap in the US is now many multiples of that in ancient Rome, how extreme wealth translates into political power, and how reforming campaign finance laws is only a tiny part of the solution we need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2026

On today’s Saturday shots, James Heale is joined by former Conservative MP Steve Baker to discuss the fallout from Wes Streeting’s resignation and the ‘orgy of chaos’ that has ensued.Steve takes James inside the dark arts of a Westminster coup: why numbers matter, why you should pay attention to individual grievances, the importance of discipline – and why Labour’s rebels may already be getting it wrong. As Andy Burnham plots his return, do the people of Makerfield really want to be caught up in a by-election that will not be about local issues? And is Burnham as good as he thinks he is?Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2026

This week: William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s political correspondent Noa Hoffman, Telegraph columnist and Planet Normal co-host Liam Halligan, and The Spectator’s real life columnist Melissa Kite.They unpack Tim Shipman and Noa Hoffman’s cover piece on the mounting coup against Keir Starmer. As Wes Streeting makes his move, Ed Miliband waits in the wings and Andy Burnham’s allies search for a route back to Westminster, is Labour now openly preparing for life after Starmer?Also this week: Britain’s mounting economic crisis. Liam warns that the government is running out of road with the bond markets. Could a turn to the left push Britain towards a full-blown fiscal reckoning?Plus: the death of the traditional B&B. Melissa explains why fussy guests, vegan breakfasts, TripAdvisor and the tyranny of instant reviews have made hospitality more fraught than ever. Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

Wes Streeting has made his move today for the Labour leadership – but does he have the numbers? There was some frantic briefing last night, with competing claims about who has the required number of MPs and who might be prepared to give up their seat to Andy Burnham. It almost takes us back to the days of Tory infighting.But the big news this morning is that Angela Rayner has been cleared by HMRC. In an incredibly well-timed judgment, there is now nothing standing in her way from making her own bid for the top job. So where are we on Thursday morning? What should we expect from the next 48 hours?James Heale speaks to Tim Shipman and James Lyons, former director of strategic communications in Number 10.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

This week: Keir Starmer’s leadership is in crisis. As pressure builds on the Prime Minister, Michael and Madeline ask whether Starmer can survive the rebellion now gathering pace in his own party.They discuss the runners and riders who could replace him, from Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner to Andy Burnham – and the risks each would pose for Labour. Could Burnham find a safe seat? Would Streeting trigger open warfare with the left? And would a change of leader mean anything beyond a change of name?Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2026

Freddy Gray is joined by Josef Palermo, who formerly worked for the Kennedy Center to discuss the historical building and whether its cultural and ethos has been ruined by the Trump administration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2026

This week: Lisa Haseldine on Britain's failing maternity services, Roya Nikkah writes the diary and Lionel Shriver on gerrymandering in America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 May 2026

In this week’s Q&A: how do you mount a Labour leadership coup? As the results of the local elections roll in and speculation builds about Starmer’s future, Michael and Maddie discuss the mechanics of leadership bids, the dangers facing Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham, and why the best advice for Labour’s next leader may be: don’t.Also this week: has Britain really had enough of experts? Michael revisits his famous Brexit-era line, and whether he stands by it. Is there a difference between expertise, wisdom and technocracy – and does Parliament need debate more than deference?Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2026

As the full picture of the local elections emerges, Labour faces a dilemma: stick with Keir Starmer, or put forward an alternative?Calls for Starmer to resign have intensified, and we are braced for MPs to stick their heads above the parapet this weekend. The message from the Prime Minister is that he ‘will not go’ and will not set out a path for his resignation either.So where does Labour go from here? Lord Glasman joins Tim and James to discuss the battle for the soul of the Labour party. Will they return to their traditions, or continue to ‘limp along in a state of paralysis’? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2026

This week: Lara Pendergast is joined by Tim Shipman, Lionel Barber and Alice Loxton, author of Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk in Search of England’s Lost Queen. They unpack Michael Gove’s cover piece which asks whether the local elections will push Labour further to the left. As the Greens threaten Labour in its metropolitan heartlands and Reform eats into its working-class vote, is Keir Starmer facing a battle for the soul of his party? They also consider the collapse of the political centre, the weakness of Britain’s current leadership class, and why being ‘not Keir Starmer’ may not be enough.Also this week: King Charles’s diplomatic triumph in Washington. After his address to Congress, did the King succeed where politicians often fail – managing Donald Trump while quietly defending Nato, Ukraine and constitutional restraint?Plus: are millennials being made ill by ultra-processed ‘health’ foods? And finally, the panel admits to their own unlikely collections – from fridge magnets to political memorabilia.Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2026

My guests on this week’s Book Club podcast are Amanda Golden and Karen V. Kukil, editors of the new The Poems of Sylvia Plath, a variorum collection of every poem Plath wrote. They tell me what light her juvenilia sheds on her later work, how art and music fed into her poetry, and how deep her poetic partnership with Ted Hughes ran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2026

To listen to this week's podcast in full, search 'Quite right!' wherever you get your podcasts. This week: antisemitism in Britain, the government’s response – and where Reform may have gone too far.After the attack in Golders Green, Michael and Madeline ask whether antisemitism has become a daily reality for Britain’s Jewish community – and whether ministers are willing to confront the Islamist extremism, hard-left apologism and far-right hatred that are feeding it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2026

The Conservative party was once the natural political home for those on the right. No longer. The Tories’ vote share collapsed at the 2024 general election and the party, under new leadership, has since been outflanked by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.Earlier this week, The Spectator pitted the Conservatives, represented by Nick Timothy and Claire Coutinho, against Reform UK, represented by Matt Goodwin and Danny Kruger, for the definitive debate on which party truly represents the future of the right. Listen to an excerpt of that debate here, and for more The Spectator events go to spectator.com/events Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 4 May 2026

This week: Martin Vander Weyer on British steel and his chat with Andy Haldane, Freddy Gray has been stateside & Arabella Byrne on why she's no fan of the social climbing dog – whippets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 May 2026

Britain has recorded the highest drug deaths in Europe. Green Party leader Zack Polanski has declared that this means the so called 'war on drugs' is not working, and favours a more liberal approach of legalisation. Michael Simmons is joined by John Power to look at the numbers and show why Polanski would likely make drug deaths rise under his policy.This episode is brought to you by Artemis Fund Managers, for more information on our fund range please click here https://www.artemisfunds.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2026

King Charles and his wife Camilla have been on a state visit to the White House meeting Donald Trump and the First Lady. At a state banquet in the evening, both King Charles and Trump gave speeches celebrating the special relationship. The event marked 250 years of American independence. Freddy Gray spoke to the author Michael Auslin who wrote the book The Declaration of Independence: History, Meaning and Modern Impact which explores the Declaration of Independence as a revered relic, a symbol of American ideals, and a manufactured cultural icon in his research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2026

In this week’s podcast, William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s economics editor Michael Simmons, assistant editor Isabel Hardman and Times columnist and Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips. The panel unpacks Mary Wakefield’s cover story on the rise of shoplifting – and what it reveals about’ shameless Britain’. After a Morrisons manager was reportedly sacked for stopping a thief, they ask whether petty crime, fare-dodging and everyday rule-breaking are eroding the social contract.Also on the episode: Tim Shipman’s latest piece on Labour after Starmer. With Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner and Ed Miliband said to be thinking about what comes next, they debate whether the Prime Minister has lost authority – and whether Labour can choose between what its party wants and what voters want.And finally: after Green MP Hannah Spencer criticised Parliament’s drinking culture, the panel asks whether Westminster has a booze problem – or should we cut MPs some slack. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2026

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Sophia Smith-Galer, talking about her new book How to Kill a Language: Power, Resistance, and the Race to Save Our Words. Sophia tells me why languages are vanishing faster than ever before, why it matters, how we can resist it and what her Italian-born nonna gave her. Visit fleetstreetquarter.co.uk to book your tickets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2026

Katie Lam is one of the brightest lights of the Conservative party. Frequently tipped as a future leader, her interventions in the House on immigration and the grooming gangs scandal have won her a large following on social media – and, inevitably, led to constant links with a defection to Reform.On Quite right!, Katie sets out why she is a Conservative and why the Tory party is still the best vehicle for change. She gives her reaction to the defection of Rob Jenrick – who she backed as Tory leader in 2024 – and explains why they are not speaking any more. They also discuss the grooming gangs and why Westminster flinched from tackling this scandal, before considering immigration and the million-pound question of how many will actually have to leave. Finally, she addresses the defection rumours and tells Michael and Maddie why, despite having her respect, Nigel Farage is not fit to be Prime Minister.Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2026

It’s a blockbuster day in parliament today. To kick things off, we had Philip Barton pleading ignorance; to close the proceedings tonight we have a vote on a possible Privileges Committee probe. But in between we have Morgan McSweeney, the longtime bete noire of the Labour party left, giving testimony on the appointment of Peter Mandelson as British ambassador. McSweeney pushed hard for Mandy to be given the gig: a decision which he said in his opening statement to the Foreign Affairs Committee was a ‘serious error’. However, Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff denied pressuring Foreign Office officials to clear the appointment ‘at all costs’.It wasn’t as explosive as Olly Robbins last week and there seemed to be a more personal subplot running between McSweeney and chair Emily Thornberry – who was denied her frontbench role by Keir Starmer. Is the Prime Minister more or less secure after this latest testimony?Noa Hoffman speaks to Tim Shipman.Produced by Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2026

This week: Max Jeffery on the transgender nihilists agitating for ‘a new era of rage’; Peter James reads his diary; Zoe Strimpel on Lena Dunham’s version of feminism; and Graeme Thomson takes us through the rock and roll alter egos.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 April 2026

In 2009 Pope Benedict XVI upset liberals by creating the Ordinariates, new self-governing structures for ex-Anglicans who wanted to preserve their ‘patrimony’ in their worship and evangelisation. Until now, many bishops in the English-speaking world have done their best to marginalise the Ordinariates, despite – or perhaps because of – the dynamism of their clergy. But Pope Leo has now affirmed the Ordinariates as a permanent feature of the church. Could Pope Benedict’s bold initiative soon be working as he intended? In this episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson talks to two leading Ordinariate priests, Fathers Ed Tomlinson and Benedict Kiely. Don’t miss this unusually frank discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2026

Is Labour about to lose Wales? That’s what the polling suggests. After 27 years, Wales is seeking change. The beneficiaries look to be the outsiders, Plaid Cymru and Reform UK. Why is it this moment in particular that people are seeking new answers? In this special episode of Coffee House Shots, James Heale goes on the road across the Welsh valleys with Luke Tryl, UK Director of More in Common. Attending a series of focus groups, speaking to people on the doorsteps and across towns in the UK, they try to find out where Wales is heading in the local elections on May 7. Produced by Megan McElroy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2026

In this week’s podcast, the panel unpacks Tim Shipman’s explosive cover story, including a leaked message suggesting just how closely Starmer backed Mandelson’s appointment from the start – and why the Prime Minister is now struggling to shift responsibility as the fallout grows.Host Lara Prendergast is joined by William Moore, historian Peter Frankopan and Prue Leith to assess whether this is a moment of real political danger for Starmer – or simply another Westminster storm. As comparisons with Boris Johnson mount, they ask whether Labour’s internal critics will act, what alternatives (if any) exist, and why the deeper problem may be a striking lack of talent across British politics.Also on the episode: could Reform capitalise on voter frustration – and are Britain’s insurgent parties ready for power? What should we expect from Donald Trump’s looming state visit – and why the monarchy may matter more than Downing Street in managing him? Plus, is the American Dream fading, or simply evolving under economic strain?And finally: from overlooked women at Nuremberg to the cultural stigma around ageing, the panel explores how history is written – and who gets written out of it.Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2026

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Caroline Bicks, who tells me how she put her academic work on Shakespeare to one side to produce her new book Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King. She tells me why she thinks King’s work is worthy of critical attention, what we can learn from the radical way he revised his early work, what it is like dealing with the man himself – and how there are some parts of his early novels that he even scared himself with. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2026

For more from Michael and Maddie, search 'Quite right!' wherever you are listening to this podcast and hit the follow button to never miss an episode. This week: the Mandelson row deepens – and a bigger question about Keir Starmer’s judgment and authority.After a bruising appearance from Olly Robbins at the Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael and Madeline ask whether the Prime Minister’s defence still holds and assess the weaknesses this whole debacle has exposed in Keir Starmer. For example, why did he want Mandelson to be US Ambassador in the first place, given the numerous red flags and the fact that – as Michael suggests – he doesn’t particularly like Mandelson or his style of operating?They also discuss whether this will end up being a resigning issue – and, if Starmer does go, what comes next? With potential successors circling and the local elections looming, would removing him would solve the problem or make it worse?Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2026

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has just come into effect. Iran’s Foreign Minister says 'in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire'. Freddy Gray is joined by Spectator contributor Charlie Gammell, an expert on Iran, to discuss the negotiations and why they originally broke down plus what a post-conflict Iran could look like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2026

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: as the King prepares to head to America, Robert Hardman looks ahead to what would have been Elizabeth II’s centenary celebration; Melissa Kite reports from the fuel protests in Ireland (featuring one of the disgruntled truckers); Julian Glover mourns the demise of the railway restaurant car; and finally, do you love it or hate it – Sarah Carlson provides her notes on marmite. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 April 2026

Donald Trump’s latest clash with the Pope has stunned even the more hardened of America-watchers. According to the President of the United States Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of 1.3 billion people, is 'WEAK on crime and terrible on foreign policy.' He also claimed that, 'If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.' Is the war in Iran the only reason the Pope and the President have clashed? And what does it tell us about religious relations in the US today? In a special podcast collaboration, the host of Holy Smoke Damian Thompson and the host of Americano Freddy Gray discuss the dispute. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Natasha Feroze. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 April 2026

Buying a flat in Britain has increasingly become a fool's errand, driven in part by the leasehold system trapping homeowners into flats. When Labour wrote their manifesto they promised reform to the leasehold system, but it remains a sticking point in Westminster due to heavy lobbying. Michael Simmons is joined by Harry Scoffin, founder from Free Leaseholders who makes the case for the common hold system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2026

The Pope is 'WEAK on crime and terrible on foreign policy' – this was the verdict of the President of the United States this week, as he appeared to deepen his row with the leader of the Catholic Church. In the magazine this week, Damian Thompson reports on why the President appears to have engaged in his own Holy War with the leader of 1.3 billion Catholics around the world. For this week's Edition, host William Moore is joined by deputy editor Freddy Gray, commissioning editor Lara Brown – and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Baron Williams, now retired from the Lords, fears there is something 'demonic' in the political culture of the United States right now, as people appear to twist Christian teaching to justify their own causes. He does admit he feels 'slightly sorry' for the US Vice President – and recent Catholic convert – J.D. Vance saying he appears to be 'floundering', following Vance's recent comments that the Pope should 'stick to morality'. Why is the President fighting with the Pope? And what reflections does Rowan have on how involved religious leaders should be in politics? Also on the episode, they discuss: the American right's obsession with the Antichrist; Rowan's new book Solidarity; the Spectator's cover story – by John Power – on the property crash of the London flat market; how the future might be vegetarian; and finally, whether foreign visitors should pay to enter British museums. Plus, what are the panel's favourite cultural attractions in London? Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2026

My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is the reporter – cartoonist Joe Sacco, talking about his most recent book The Once and Future Riot, about Hindu/Muslim violence in rural India. He tells me how he knows when he’s onto a story, what cartooning can do for reportage, and why he draws himself so differently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2026

To hear this week's episode in full, search 'Quite right!' wherever you are listening now. This week: the Southport inquiry and a deeper question about why Britain’s institutions keep failing to act. After a damning report into the killings revealed that Axel Rudakubana was ‘known to authorities’, Michael and Madeline ask how so many warning signs were missed. Did a fear of getting things wrong – or being accused of racism – stop professionals from intervening?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2026