The Spectator Podcast

Britain’s banks have a hold over Rachel Reeves, declares Michael Simmons in the Spectator’s cover piece this week. Almost two decades on from the 2008 financial crash, the UK has failed to reform the system and – as ordinary people face a cost-of-living crisis – Labour is in hock to big business. Is the Chancellor too close to the City?For this week’s Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by economics editor Michael Simmons, columnist Lionel Shriver, and columnist from the Daily Mail Robert Hardman.As well as Labour’s relationship with the banking industry, they discuss: the hit BBC show Industry; how the Royals have frozen out (former Prince) Andrew – and whether removing him from the line of succession is ‘performative’ or not; Lionel’s new book on immigration A Better Life; why young Brits increasingly want to be more Australian; and finally, what’s so good about a moustache?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Catch up with Industry S4 now on BBC iPlayer. Watch the

Sam Leith's guest this week is Francis Spufford, whose fabulous new novel Nonesuch is a fantasy adventure set during the Blitz containing magical Nazis, nerdy TV techs and honest-to-goodness angels. He tells Sam about fantasy world-building and historical research, the pleasures and pitfalls of writing a female protagonist, why C S Lewis is as influential as Tolkien — and supersizing Dr Manhattan.You can read Philip Hensher's review of Nonesuch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Michael is joined by Munira Mirza. Raised in Oldham and educated at Oxford, Munira worked at Policy Exchange before serving as Deputy Mayor of London under Boris Johnson and later as Director of the No.10 Policy Unit, where she helped shape the Conservatives’ 2019 election manifesto. She now leads Civic Future and the think tank Fix Britain.In the first of this two-part interview, Munira reflects on Labour’s vulnerability in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, and the ‘serious threat’ it faces if the Muslim votes flees to the Greens. She discusses the politicisation of religious identity, the influence of Islamism in Britain, and what she sees as a failure of public authorities to confront hard truths.They also discuss the news this week that Valdo Calocane – the man who killed three people in Nottingham in 2023 – was released from hospital in 2020 because health professionals were concerned about the disproportionate number of black men who were being detained in the mental health sys

On the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dr Yuri Stoyanov – of SOAS university in London – joins Damian Thompson to reflect on the religious dimensions of the war once again. The theological gulf between Russia and Ukraine is perhaps comparable to the political one and, for now, seems insurmountable, with the war increasingly being framed in some spheres as a 'Holy War'. You have to stretch back to the First World War to find a war within Christendom framed in these terms, but what effect is this having on the family of Orthodox churches across Europe and the Middle East? And how can we better understand this strand of Russian 'jihadism'?Plus, what has the impact of the Papal succession been? And, how have other religious groups – such an estimated 2 million Buddhists – reacted in Russia?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two titans of broadcasting – LBC’s Iain Dale and Sky's Jon Craig – join deputy political editor James Heale for a whistle-stop tour of British by-elections. From Oxford City in 1938 to Chesterfield in 1984 right up to Runcorn in 2025, why do by-elections matter? When have they been most significant? And are longer vote counts the product of fractured politics in the modern age?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is an area of public spending nearly double what Britain spends on defence, more than policing borders or our streets. It's servicing the costs of what Britain has borrowed in the past. The growing debt bomb is continuing to climb with real consequences for the taxpayer. Michael Simmons takes a look at the data and speaks to the economist Paul Johnson about what political measures the government will have to take to tackle Britain's debt crisis, what it means for the taxpayer and why the reviving modern monetary theory movement is nonsense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest in this week's Book Club podcast is the philosophy professor Hanna Pickard, whose new book is What Would You Do Alone In A Cage With Nothing But Cocaine? A Philosophy of Addiction. She tells me why we need a new approach to ‘the puzzle of addiction’. She says the idea that addicts are helplessly in thrall to the compulsions of a ‘broken brain’ is wrong, that we need to understand how sometimes using even if it's looks like killing you can make a sort of sense – and describes how her own one-off experience of morphine set her on the path of trying to change the way we think about drugs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain is defenceless, declares the Spectator's cover piece this week. From the size of the armed forces to protection against cyber warfare, the government is not spending fast enough to meet the UK's security challenges. But is the public ready to choose warfare over welfare? And can we blame the young people who don't want to fight for their country?For this week's Edition, host William Moore is joined by opinion editor Rupert Hawksley, columnist Matthew Parris, and Whitehall editor of the Financial Times Lucy Fisher. As well as meeting Britain's defence challenge, they discuss: whether the Mandelson scandal is bigger than the Profumo affair; the organised gangs terrorising rural farmers in the UK; and, why some people just can't get enough of conspiracy theories. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

General Sir Nick Carter, former chief of the defence staff, joins Tim Shipman to discuss Britain's military preparedness – or rather, lack thereof. While a friendlier US presence at the Munich Security Conference may have provided some relief, the military threats to the UK and to Europe presented are still stark. So what choices need to be addressed to ensure that Britain is equipped to deal with these threats? Is the government doing enough to address the awareness gap with the public? And how could AI change warfare?Tim's cover piece, Defenceless: the grim truth about Britain's military, can be found here.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To hear this week's podcast in full, search 'Quite right!' wherever you are listening now. This week, Michael and Maddie consider Reform UK's succession plan. With Nigel Farage unveiling his new shadow cabinet, attention shifts to the bigger question: who comes after him? Is Reform preparing for life beyond its founder – and if so, who stands ready to inherit the crown?Also this week, they examine the fallout from the court’s decision to overturn the government’s attempt to proscribe Palestine Action – and ask what it means for free speech, public order and the limits of the state.They explore whether Britain is drifting toward a de facto blasphemy law, and debate claims of ‘two-tier justice’ in the handling of extremist activism. Has the government lost control of the argument — or is it simply constrained by the courts?Produced by Oscar Edmondson.To submit your questions to Michael and Maddie, visit spectator.com/quiteright Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There has been a lot of speculation about a 'quiet revival' of Christianity happening amongst the younger generations – including on this podcast. Much of this traces back to a survey conducted by the Bible Society last year. Respected demographer Conrad Hackett of the Pew Research Center joins Damian Thompson to explain the truth behind the statistics, and why we have to be wary of the methodology used by different polls. Some interesting facts: Christians remain the largest religious group in the world, following by Muslims and then the religiously non-affiliated; while Europe was home to the largest number of Christians as recently as 2010, sub-saharan Africa now has the highest number – a region in which the Muslim population is also growing; and, the biggest religious change happening in the world is the number of people raised Christian who are choosing to no longer identify as Christian – of which the UK is the leading country in Europe in terms of this population.For more from Conrad, you can check ou

Daniel Di Martino, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, joins Freddy Gray to discuss the ongoing situation in Venezuela. Over a month on from the 'bold and spectacular raid' and capture of Maduro, Daniel explains the reasons why he has hope in the government of Delcy Rodriguez and the changes that have occurred since – from the increase in the oil price to the release of political prisoners. With only three years left of the Trump presidency, how can he be sure that the interim president isn't just playing for time?We hope our listeners will forgive the abrupt ending to this Americano episode, as the Spectator's street was briefly evacuated by police in what turned out to be a false alarm!Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Tina Brown explains her bafflement at how Jeff Bezos destroyed the Washington Post; Travis Aaroe warns against Britain putting its hopes in military man Al Carns MP; Genevieve Gaunt explores survival of the fittest as she reviews books by Justin Garcia and Paul Eastwick; and finally, Deborah Ross declares herself a purist as she reviews Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Macintyre joins James Heale to discuss his new biography of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown: Power With Purpose. While the book has been years in the making, little did James know that it would end up published at the same time that its themes and subjects could never be more relevant.James tells our deputy political editor about the relationship between Brown and Blair, what the Labour leader makes of Keir Starmer’s problems today and his reflections – with hindsight – about bringing the now-disgraced Peter Mandelson back into government in 2008. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Authority is like virginity. Once it’s gone, it’s gone’ – that's just one of the damning quotes about Keir Starmer that Tim Shipman has extracted from sources inside the Labour government. Much of Starmer's bad luck this week is arguably of his own making, so why is he seemingly so bad at being the Prime Minister? For this week's Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by political editor Tim Shipman, associate editor – and Conservative peer – Toby Young, and the broadcaster Guto Harri, who – as a former director of communications at Number Ten himself – knows a thing or two about the brutal reality of being at the heart of government. As well as Starmer's torrid week, they discuss: why defence minister Al Carns of the 2024 intake is being talked up as a potential successor to Starmer; whether Kemi Badenoch has improved as Tory leader – and can she avoid being the Iain Duncan-Smith of the 2020s; how the Epstein files have proven royal biographer Andrew Lownie right; why we are seeing a boom in children's to

In this week’s Book Club podcast Sam Leith's guest is Eric Schlosser, the investigative journalist whose Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal is being reissued as a Penguin Modern Classic 25 years after its first publication. He tells Sam what’s changed and what hasn’t since he first published this groundbreaking exposé of fast food’s effects on so many aspects of American society, why he was destined to suffer the fate of Upton Sinclair, how Keir Starmer fits in – and how he proudly built a chapter around six vital words. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To hear to this week's episode in full, search 'Quite right!' wherever you are listening now. This week: Michael and Maddie examine the crisis engulfing the Labour party and ask whether Keir Starmer is facing a Boris-style collapse of authority.They explore what could be to come in the continued fallout from the Peter Mandelson affair, the rebellion over the release of government files, and what Starmer’s pattern of scapegoating aides reveals about his grip on power. Is this a corruption scandal – or something more damaging: a failure of judgment?Finally, they look ahead to what comes next. If Starmer’s authority is ebbing, who could replace him? From Angela Rayner to Wes Streeting – and the outsiders hovering on the edge – will internal revolt mark the beginning of a wider realignment in British politics?Produced by Oscar Edmondson.To submit your urgent questions to Michael and Maddie, visit spectator.com/quiteright Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The midterm elections in November is shaping up to be one of the most expensive elections yet. Freddy Gray and Ryan Girdusky, author of National Populist Substack to discuss how inflation, crime, and immigration are shaping voter patterns, whether the Trump coalition remains as strong as he claims, and what impact Trump's recent focus on international affairs will have with his American voter base. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Morgan McSweeney resigned yesterday as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff and – while it was not a surprise, given his role in appointing Peter Mandelson – the news that the Prime Minister has now lost his closest aide and political fire blanket is a huge shock. The repercussions are numerous: Starmer loses the man widely regarded to have won him his large majority and someone who was popular in No. 10; he has recruited two new deputies to fulfil a role considered insurmountable for one person; and it sets a precedent that anyone who allowed Mandelson to become US ambassador is liable for the chop.For a Prime Minister without a political philosophy, McSweeney was the man with the plan – where does Labour go from here? Is this the end for Starmer – and who might replace him?Tim Shipman and James Heale discuss.Produced by Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Piers Morgan reveals what Donald Trump told him from his hospital bed; Melanie McDonagh ponders the impermanence of email, amidst the Peter Mandelson scandal; Matt Ridley argues that polar bears – which are currently thriving – pose problems for climate enthusiasts; and finally, Rachel Johnson attends the memorial service for Dame Jilly Cooper – and says she made a fool out of herself. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.