Best of the Spectator

After success in the New York democratic primaries for far-left candidates, President Trump says 'the game is on. Enjoy Watching.' Freddy Gray speaks to Spectator columnist, Roger Kimball, about how Trump plans to deal with the radical left, the lawlessness of New York under Mamdani, and how artificial intelligence is changing politics. 

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On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Richard Madeley wonders if anyone in the media still drinks; Michael Simmons asks if the UK is ready for Andy Burnham’s first Budget; Gus Carter explains the Spectator’s role in the birth of America; and finally, Arabella Byrne provides her notes on coconut water. 

Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

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Vice President JD Vance is returning from the Swiss Alps having concluded the opening phase of the Iran talks with a view to achieving a peace deal. Are critics right to claim that the whole war has been a humiliation for America? Freddy Gray speaks to Stanford Professor Victor Davis Hanson about MAGA foreign policy, the midterms, why oil is so important to the American voter & the right wing realignment in Latin America.

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We are on course for yet another prime minister – our seventh in just ten years. With statistics like that, and after watching the now-familiar pattern of leaders arriving with promises of hopeful change only to collapse into inertia and scandal, it is little wonder that many assume Britain has become ungovernable. But is that really true? Or have we simply had a uniquely bad crop of prime ministers, each sent packing because of their own mistakes?

James Heale speaks to Tim Shipman and Luke Tryl.

Produced (for the final time) by Megan McElroy. We all wi...

For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, the drinks writer Henry Jeffreys and the founder and chair of iNHouse Communications – and former director of communications for Theresa May – Katie Perrior.

This week: another year, another prime ministerial resignation – it’s all becoming a little too common in British politics. The guests give their views on Starmer’s downfall and look ahead to the inevitable Andy Burnham premiership, from his policy agenda to who’s in – and who’s out – when it comes to the Cabinet and all-important role of Chance...

In this week's Book Club podcast, I'm joined by the theoretical physicist and writer Carlo Rovelli to discuss his new book 85 Seconds to Midnight: A Physicist's Argument Against Rearmament, where in imitation of Einstein and Bertrand Russell, he uses his platform as a public intellectual to speak against the logic of nuclear escalation. He tells me what the Nazis got right and the US got wrong in the later years of the Second World War, why physicists have a bad conscience about the bomb – and why the threat to civilisation has never been greater.

Produced by Oscar Ed...

This week: Starmer’s exit, Burnham’s rise – and the court of King Andy.

As Keir Starmer resigns after less than two years in office, Michael and Madeline ask what really brought his premiership to an end. Was Starmer simply overtaken by events, or did his downfall reveal something deeper: a disdain for politics, a mishandling of Southport and the grooming gangs scandal, and a growing gulf between Labour’s governing class and the country?

They also discuss Andy Burnham’s march on Westminster. Is he the charismatic, communitarian figure Labour needs to take on Reform – o...

Illegal tobacco is estimated to cost the UK around £2 billion a year in lost tax revenue, while undercutting legitimate retailers and providing a lucrative market for organised crime.

Sarah Connor, UK director of communications at JTI, Rohan Pike, an international illicit trade expert and former police officer, and Andrew Boff, Conservative chair of the London Assembly, join The Spectator’s economics editor Michael Simmons to discuss how illegal tobacco is affecting Britain’s high streets. They examine whether rising tobacco duties and new regulations are pushing consumers towards the black market; what Britain can learn from Australia, where...

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Freddy Gray asks whether the Iran deal will destroy J.D. Vance; Matt Ridley argues that Britain must finally embrace gene editing; Peter Parker explains the problem with ‘queer art'; and finally, Lloyd Evans says the NHS treats everyone fairly – with contempt.

Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

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For Christians and non-Christians alike, Mormons remain a bit of an enigma – especially in the UK. In the US however there are almost 7 million and they punch above their weight in terms of political influence; notable members of congress include former senator, and one-time presidential candidate, Mitt Romney.

This influence meant that a row erupted in the past fortnight when the Pentagon released its updated list of religious affiliations and listed the Church of Latter-Day Saints independently from other Christian denominations, implying members were not Christian. This move was quickly denounced, with Mike Lee – a Mormon and...

Andy Burnham has won what may come to be seen as the most consequential by-election in recent memory. Political journalism has a tendency towards hyperbole, but the situation is clear: Burnham is on his way to Westminster with significant backing to take on Keir Starmer; he has proved that he can beat Reform on a ‘stop Starmer’ ticket and will now look to translate that message nationally; he also appears to have united the left behind him, with the Lib Dems and Greens barely registering in Makerfield.

Meanwhile, the right is splintered. Reform’s momentum has been seriou...

For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s assistant editor Isabel Hardman and the editor of The New Statesman Tom McTague. Plus, in a special episode this week, the Spectator’s economics editor Michael Simmons joins for the first half of the episode, before political editor Tim Shipman jumps in later on.

This week: was Brexit worth it? As we approach the tenth anniversary of the vote to leave the European Union, the Spectator’s editor – and former prominent Vote Leave campaigner – Michael Gove makes the case that not only was Britain right to le...

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is the Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, whose new book, A British Childhood: How Our Children Live Now, describes what he discovered from the travels he undertook during his work with BookTrust and the Laureateship.

He tells me what he learned about what really happens when a parent reads to a child, why the crisis in childhood reading is down to much more than the rise of screens – and how Heidi can save your life.

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Enoch Powell is one of the most polarising figures in modern British politics. His infamous ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech – in which he warned that immigration would spark ethnic conflict – continues to shape some of today’s most important debates on race, identity and immigration.

Michael Gove and assistant editor Madeline Grant sit down with Simon Heffer, author of Like the Roman: The Life of Enoch Powell, to explore Powell’s legacy. They examine how he became a model for populist rhetoric and discuss why understanding Enoch Powell is central to understanding the right today. 

This podcast was o...

Keir Starmer has announced his plans to ban social media for under 16s in Britain. The ban is due to come in early next year and include all main social media apps. Age-recognition and digital ID checks will be used to keep children away from social media. But when it comes to child safety, will it make a difference? And what are the unintended consequences of a ban? Michael Simmons challenges The Spectator's John Power.

This episode is brought to you by Artemis Fund Managers, for more information on our fund range please click here https...

Freddy is joined by Daniel McCarthy, US columnist for The Spectator and the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review. They discuss the US-Iran peace deal, whether a lasting peace is possible in the region, and what's at stake for Iran and leaders in the Persian Gulf.

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On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman interviews Kemi Badenoch – including excerpts from the interview; Justin Marozzi argues that Trump’s strategy has only strengthened the Iranian regime; Christopher Howse pays tribute to ‘London’s rudest landlord'; and finally, Lara Prendergasts says that ‘matrescence’ is one big con. 

Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

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Freddy Gray is joined by Cenk Uygur after he and Hasan Piker were banned from entering Britain. They discuss free speech, debate Cenk's position on criticising Israel, Britain’s censorious turn, and what the Henry Nowak case reveals about policing and anti-racism.

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For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator's commissioning editor Lara Brown, the columnist for the Wall Street Journal’s Free Expression newsletter Louise Perry and the Telegraph journalist and presenter of Ukraine: The Latest Francis Dearnley.

This week: Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now gone on longer than the first world war and it shares much of the horrors of that war, from attrition warfare to substantial losses on both sides. So, with over half a million Russians estimated to be killed, could Putin and Zelensky be brought to an exhausted p...

My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is Andrea Wulf, talking about her fascinating new book, The Traveller: George Forster and the Search for Humanity. Andrea tells me about the now-forgotten adventurer who sailed with Captain Cook, toured Europe as an intellectual celebrity and sparred with Kant and Rousseau over race and human civilisation – before throwing his lot in with the French Revolution.

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This week: Keir Starmer’s legacy, Andy Burnham’s next move – and should there be a general election? 

With the Makerfield by-election just days away, Michael Gove is joined by Rachel Johnson to ask whether an Andy Burnham victory would spell the end of Keir Starmer’s premiership. Could Starmer really fight on – or is the Labour party heading for a regicidal ‘bloodbath’? They discuss Starmer’s record in government, whether Labour has become the ‘welfare party’, and if Burnham could offer the party anything more than a political glow-up.

Also on the podcast: Kemi Badenoch’s revival, t...

Freddy Gray is joined by JL Partners pollster James Johnson to discuss America's polls: what the election results mean, why immigration has become a problem of the Republican's success, Trump's popularity with the Latinos & why Kamala Harris could still be the Democratic candidate 2028.

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On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Lisa Haseldine reports from Armenia; Michael Simmons argues neoliberalism has never really been tried; Patrick Smith explains why he takes frog poison; and finally, Toby Young wonders why Nigel Farage cares if he has been banned from Desert Island Discs. Plus: the Reform UK leader reveals – exclusively to James Heale – what he would choose if he went on the show.

Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

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Friend of Holy Smoke Fr. Alexander Lucie-Smith joins Damian Thompson to talk about the complicated relationship between the drug cartels in Mexico and the Catholic Church. The violence of the cartels has led to a flourishing of shrines – and also cults – which have seen Catholic and pagan beliefs fuse together, and which are not always condemned by all church leaders. What motivates the Mexicans who turn to these beliefs? And what does Mexico tell us about corruption across the wider Church?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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Nicola Sturgeon has claimed she was deceived by her ex-husband Peter Murrell who pled guilty having embezzled tens of thousands of pounds of SNP money. Financial infidelity has become a top reason behind couples divorces. Alice Wright from The Times joins Michael Simmons to discuss.

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James Heale is in Makerfield ahead of one of the most consequential by-elections of all time, where Andy Burnham is hoping to return to Westminster and stop Reform’s Robert Kenyon – the local plumber backed by Nigel Farage. On the ground, James hears from voters split between Labour and Reform, with some hoping Burnham can hold the line and others asking what he has really done for the area.

He also sits down with Nigel Farage to discuss Reform’s chances, the party’s NHS policy, Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain challenge, and why Farage thinks Burnham wo...

For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator's political editor Tim Shipman, the writer Guy Stagg and the author and host of How to Fail Elizabeth Day.

This week, the guests discuss whether Nigel Farage’s Reform UK can see off the threat from Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain. Restore Britain’s success may be modest and, so far, very online but that doesn’t mean they won’t hinder Farage’s effort to reach Number 10. If polls from the Makerfield by-election are anything to be believed, Restore could have a real impact. The batt...

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.

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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...

The government have rolled back on plans to impose price caps in supermarkets. Was Reeves wrong to go after them for price gouging? Michael Simmons has the data.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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 Revolutio...

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 'a...

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.

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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...

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.

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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.

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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 coul...