# spectator (audio feeds) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover spectator. Page: Feed: --- ## [Coffee House Shots: Reform suspends Tim Montgomerie after Spectator interview](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/coffee-house-shots-reform-suspends-tim-montgomerie-after-spe) _2026-08-18 · Best of the Spectator_ After saying that Zia Yusuf needed to 'become a team player' in an interview on Coffee House yesterday, Reform UK responded, and decided that they would rather Tim Montgomerie were not in their squad at all. After the story broke this morning that Montgomerie had his membership of the party suspended, Noa Hoffman is joined by Tim Shipman and James Heale to react to the latest developments on the… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a8484d81ad8716bb6c15341/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=1Tz7RjxcPU0YQYitofusXKjqRwUh4bp6X2wY1mLBEPw) ## [Holy Smoke: Wandering bishops, rival popes & schismatic churches](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/holy-smoke-wandering-bishops-rival-popes) _2026-08-18 · Best of the Spectator_ What happens when a bishop breaks with Rome but still claims apostolic succession? Damian Thompson is joined by historian Magnus Lundberg, Professor of Church and Mission History at Uppsala University in Sweden, to explore the strange world of ‘wandering bishops’, rival popes and tiny schismatic churches. They trace the tangled web of consecrations that have produced thousands of bishops outside… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a8396e57324a0381cd4face/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=NuKKqwYLV4H1bFSy_lHl7tk2Xwznp4qFusW4Tt6zNTc) ## [Reality Check: Britain's AI problem isn't data centres – it's electricity](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/reality-check-britains-ai-problem-isnt-data-centres-its-elec) _2026-08-17 · Best of the Spectator_ Britain wants to become an AI superpower – but does it have the electricity to power one? Data centres underpin everything from online banking and streaming to artificial intelligence, and demand for them is exploding. The government has designated them as critical national infrastructure and is promising billions of pounds of investment, but Britain’s ageing grid is already struggling to keep up.… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a7dff2883128ee3d2f07ffe/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=yP5iNeqg24PPZd_RXtiUQuW0TyqczUrtwtDI-8F7vWU) ## [Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman, Arabella Byrne, Alex Burghart & Lloyd Evans](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/spectator-out-loud-tim-shipman-arabella-byrne-alex-burghart) _2026-08-16 · Best of the Spectator_ On this week’s Spectator Out Loud : Tim Shipman argues that politicians’ contempt for the press is really contempt for the public; Arabella Byrne asks if you have old money face; Alex Burghart says that Harold Godwinson has a touch of the Viking about him, as he reviews Harold: Warrior King by Tom Licence; and finally, Lloyd Evans reads his confessions of a dog hater. Produced and presented by… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a7ee39f049c692a6b3dd2e7/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=vKR9jeiaSH_D_alf1J-yBQnZK2EgpD7Qoj_v__uHa2M) ## [Coffee House Shots: has Zack Polanski proven more continuity than change?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/coffee-house-shots-has-zack-polanski-proven-more-continuity) _2026-08-15 · Best of the Spectator_ Almost one year on from his election as leader of the Green Party, has Zack Polanski broadened its appeal? Communications strategist and Green Party insider Russell Warfield joins Noa Hoffman to discuss his new book The Green Socialist: Zack Polanski & the Battle for Britain’s Future. In it, Warfield makes the argument that Polanski marks more of a continuum for the modern British Green Party – a… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a7ef636049c692a6b4554eb/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=c2ROJIpPdu9jGr9j6p1duuPe0Dk70AX6yV0QU_dfUPM) ## [Sun Burn, Vinegar and Fire](https://bobissenman.substack.com/p/sun-burn-vinegar-and-fire) _2026-08-14 · Robert Issenman · Robert’s Substack_ Road Trip to Paradise - Part II ## [The Edition: ‘It’s a cesspool!’ — What’s going wrong in Britain’s universities?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-edition-jason-arday-the-death-of-britains-universities) _2026-08-13 · Best of the Spectator_ William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s associate editor Toby Young, commissioning editor Lara Brown and newsletter editor and restaurant critic Angus Colwell. This week: What has gone wrong with British universities? Lara unpacks the wider academic crisis in the wake of the Jason Arday scandal, from ‘surviving the apocalypse’ courses at Warwick to maths departments promising to ‘decolonise’… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a7df50c83128ee3d2ec9af5/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=PMcp5khxVrgUr2m80CEnXxnVjSaZEwxIQ-hYmS3btq8) ## [Americano: is America ready for the new realities of war?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/americano-americas-hidden-missile-vulnerability) _2026-08-12 · Best of the Spectator_ In this episode of Americano, Freddy Gray speaks to physicist and Spectator contributor Steve Hsu about the uncomfortable realities of modern warfare. Why are cheap missiles and drones so difficult and expensive to intercept? Freddy asks Steve about just how depleted are America’s missile stocks, and can the West rebuild its defence industry quickly enough? They also discuss China’s dominance of… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a7c4e6f51319a521d87471c/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=plFI8PpgiNDLF_vr3aP1o8ndMA52-aqlGmLykaxqUAE) ## [Quite right!: Simon Sebag Montefiore explains the making of the modern Middle East](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/quite-right-simon-sebag-montefiore-explains-the-making-of-th) _2026-08-11 · Best of the Spectator_ This week, Michael Gove is joined by historian Simon Sebag Montefiore to discuss the rulers, revolutionaries and nation builders who shaped one of the world’s most turbulent regions. From Ibn Saud’s dramatic conquest of Riyadh and Atatürk’s creation of modern Turkey to Ben-Gurion, Reza Shah and Nasser, Simon explores the extraordinary personalities who built states from the ruins of empire. What… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a7b53bdb8e79c154de8cb90/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=u-EpLUVXLkWmxb5YnbSB_dvzuaAvTIkzBNNdyZiWj2Y) ## [Coffee House Shots: Clacton by-election lookahead](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/coffee-house-shots-clacton-by-election-lookahead) _2026-08-11 · Best of the Spectator_ Nigel Farage is heading back to the polls in Clacton after resigning to trigger a by-election over questions surrounding his £5 million gift. With the main parties refusing to stand, Farage looks set for a comfortable victory – but will his popularity in Clacton translate to the rest of the country? And have voters simply stopped caring about the controversy? Meanwhile, Andy Burnham is facing the… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a7b192ad6c287f9ee72b8b1/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=nDXYo3gG6dw8t626wBsgiqnTzbo91JE_dzsCeqG_yK8) ## [Recipe PDFs Ready Fast (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/8gDYtlCfjqI8) _2026-08-11 · **Sponsored**_ Turn online or personal recipes into clean, printable PDFs in seconds. ## [Holy Smoke: how Project Spire will hurt England's parishes](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/holy-smoke-how-project-spire-will-hurt-englands-parishes) _2026-08-09 · Best of the Spectator_ In this week’s episode of Holy Smoke , Damian Thompson is joined by Madeline Grant to dive into the contentious topic of Project Spire, the Church of England's ambitious plan to allocate £100 million in reparations for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. They will shed light on the Church's insistence on proceeding with this plan despite significant opposition from both the public… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a761af191f158549e5a8a28/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=ZPJDX79_OUO1EekFpdme7Fsh1xQZ2WnqEzcjTXqXQo8) ## [Rod Out Loud: Toby Young, Tim Luckhurst, Lara Prendergast, Mary Wakefield & Freddy Gray](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/spectator-out-loud-rod-liddle-toby-young-tim-luckhurst-lara) _2026-08-08 · Best of the Spectator_ This week’s episode of Spectator Out Loud is a tribute to Rod Liddle, The Spectator's Associate editor, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 66. In this special episode, we hear from those who knew him best as they share some of their favourite columns written by Rod over the years. Produced and presented by Henry Lloyd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a76045ee188bf946f6ff7ee/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=tolQHb9Wbh_AcC81g9r6aaOfSyZsYPVmAwvXbNuDDAA) ## [Reality Check: why Labour doesn’t understand business](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/reality-check-why-labour-doesnt-understand-business) _2026-08-08 · Best of the Spectator_ Oliver Shah is a former journalist at The Sunday Times and now runs Newcome Advisory. On this week's Reality Check Oliver and Michael discuss why Labour can't build trust with the businesses, how the National Insurance tax hike was the poison pill for the private sector and whether it is still worth being an entrepreneur in Britain today. This episode is brought to you by Alliance Witan investment… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a759621aa557e62dc5fd9a6/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=8ceKM7msRXhdWoYqOP-6IwR4fRaTaetznWH6JLiA4Uk) ## [Summer Road Trip to Paradise](https://bobissenman.substack.com/p/summer-road-trip-to-paradise) _2026-08-07 · Robert Issenman · Robert’s Substack_ Nostalgia for the good old family holidays ## [The Edition: the real Rod Liddle – with Michael Gove, Toby Young & Freddy Gray](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-edition-the-real-rod-liddle-with-michael-gove-toby-young) _2026-08-07 · Best of the Spectator_ For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator’s editor Michael Gove, deputy editor Freddy Gray, and associate editor Toby Young. This week the episode and magazine is dedicated to our beloved Rod Liddle, who died aged 66. The Spectator journalists reflect on some of their favourite memories of Rod, what his legacy will be and how is writing, wit and intelligence will be… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a7595c9676fd7391fa06cb8/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=DwkOEIKBu_9oRxVIiXmlkEeQSn89tYlia6Be2kgylNs) ## [Americano: is China winning the AI race now?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/americano-is-china-winning-the-ai-race-now) _2026-08-06 · Best of the Spectator_ Gus Carter is joined by Geoffrey Cain to speak about the ongoing developments in Chinese AI, and how it stacks up to its American rivals. Gus and Geoffrey talk about the emergence of Kimi K3, and how Chinese models will become inherently more competitive to global audiences, not just those the United States. They also discuss the OpenAI model that went rogue, and how other US models refused to… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a6ceecac7cc27169dff4232/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=wWEgS7Mxx9pFhqRku7lbWuTwRvPqCOd0LYqHJ1cSUuk) ## [Spectator Out Loud: Lara Brown, Patrick Kidd, Tali Fraser & Ella Veakins](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/spectator-out-loud-lara-brown-patrick-kidd-tali-fraser-ella) _2026-08-04 · Best of the Spectator_ On this week’s Spectator Out Loud : Lara Brown explains the ongoing dissolution of the British private education sector; Patrick Kidd asks whether sporting curses are actually possible, or simply just a fiction; Tali Fraser goes to a death cafe to explore the world of positivity after death; and finally, Ella Veakins outlines why we should all stand in opposition the the potted plastic plant.… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a70c8cae9d2c023de627f0d/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=uzPZhhNXV4zFGqRWt9692ih6rjFD470IQYlL5mjpJa0) ## [Reality Check: could women be the solution to Britain's prison problem?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/reality-check-could-women-be-the-solution-to-britains-prison) _2026-08-04 · Best of the Spectator_ Amid rising backlash over the early prisoner release scheme, Kemi Badenoch has called for emergency legislation to stop the plans going ahead. The new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has already halted the plans until a review has been conducted. The situation with prison overcrowding is a ticking timebomb – what options are available? To alleviate the risk, some suggest women should be prioritised as… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a6a7b75501e9815146a50bb/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=PcXnQzedGKornYb7bmnDR4YG0aVR3A1z8HJR0LuBXN4) ## [Americano: How will Team Burnham deal with Team Trump?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/americano-how-will-team-burnham-deal-with-team-trump) _2026-08-03 · Best of the Spectator_ Freddy Gray is joined by Ben Judah, a former Labour Special Advisor to discuss the new government's outlook on foreign affairs. Freddy and Ben examine how Andy Burnham's appointment of Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary will shape the way Britain builds on its special relationship with the United States and the Trump Whitehouse. They also discuss the implications of Miliband's past positions on net… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a63f20da51cbd54e27e5bc2/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=AMciNFAGkQ3F3kK1LPmm4rjzZOPgGonecpnK2Hrn0lg) ## [Coffee House Shots: Britain's First Catholic PM? — with Patrick Maguire](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/coffee-house-shots-britains-first-catholic-pm-with-patrick-m) _2026-08-02 · Best of the Spectator_ Is Andy Burnham the country's first catholic Prime Minister, and how might it influence his leadership? Despite his faith drawing him to Labour, he doesn’t attend mass and rarely emphasises his religion publicly. To unpack his faith and where it might take him, Lara Brown, The Spectator's commissioning editor, is joined by the chief political commentator at The Times, Patrick Maguire, and The… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a6ce459034f16a52ec19b9a/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=ZH8InXwi245FlfvCuO3UTOV76Iq3Bsf1dELUzJrhtEk) ## [From any door to your door (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/2O7OrcQoCU54) _2026-08-01 · **Sponsored**_ Book rides, errands, deliveries, groceries and home help in one app ## [Chronic Horrendous Vomiting](https://bobissenman.substack.com/p/chronic-horrendous-vomiting) _2026-08-01 · Robert Issenman · Robert’s Substack_ Living off the avails of chronic vomiting ## [The Edition: Rory Sutherland on private schools, early election & death doulas](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-edition-rory-sutherland-on-private-schools-early-electio) _2026-08-01 · Best of the Spectator_ For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator’s columnist Rory Sutherland, political editor Tim Shipman and drinks editor Jonathan Ray. This week: What has been the damage of Labour’s punitive war on private education? Rory questions whether the sector had helped itself in the years prior, but did the policy itself ever represent more than ‘class warfare?’ Tim explores the… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a6cee2d61ae402f613f2399/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=Yuj3zVy4pUxFoGxa6ZJXhu03b1L_s9dZcVwcoUIhFqY) ## [Reality Check: how to reform social care – with David Goodhart](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/reality-check-how-to-reform-social-care-with-david-goodhart) _2026-07-31 · Best of the Spectator_ Andy Burnham has launched a major push to overhaul adult social care in England, seeking cross-party consensus for a new National Care Service. He has refused to rule out tax rises to fund the reforms. Michael Simmons speaks to the author and journalist David Goodhart about why social care should be reframed as prevention, whether salaries should be increased in social care and why the public… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a6a7b0b33878d3ae1b89c16/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=gs-f6ZWi-eDD75thFlml5uFcsB9EVbARH9jxr4SCAds) ## [Americano: Is the radical left taking over the Democratic Party?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/americano-is-the-radical-left-taking-over-the-democratic-par) _2026-07-30 · Best of the Spectator_ Freddy Gray is joined by David Weigel to discuss the Democratic primary battle taking place in Michigan between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens. Freddy and David examine how the contest has become a proxy for the wider battle over the Democratic Party's future, pitting the Obama-era moderates against the ascendant progressive left. They discuss how Israel has emerged as one of the campaign's… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a628e314fac21e67fcafb97/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=7APK_5ryOWt2nLlcE8_OsszSr1Gr-Y0KERUlX-a5GvI) ## [Quite right!: Katharine Birbalsingh interview](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/quite-right-katharine-birbalsingh-interview) _2026-07-28 · Best of the Spectator_ Katharine Birbalsingh is the founder and headmistress of Michaela Community School in Wembley, and has been dubbed Britain’s strictest headteacher. Under her leadership, Michaela has become one of the country’s most successful state schools, while openly challenging the progressive orthodoxies of the British education system. On Quite right! , Katharine argues that ethnic-minority pupils do not… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a60bf5c4fac21e67f2c7fcd/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=g-k5-MURf32UiztohbN0i_hU6AeP4R8TRz-_M3ysX1g) ## [Reality Check: Britain's homelessness & why Burnham won't fix it](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/reality-check-britains-homelessness-why-burnham-wont-fix-it) _2026-07-28 · Best of the Spectator_ Andy Burnham has laid out some of his top policy agendas for his premiership. Top of the list is to tackle homelessness – something the former Manchester mayor pledged to solve in Greater Manchester too, but the numbers have suggested the outcome was otherwise. What really needs to be done to fix homelessness in Britain? And how does his other policy of rent controls work against ending rough… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a628ddb44c9eabf3cc82c96/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=1HY_JVYezWAzfY8g3Y0Ly0rF7FMJ8jNqTpebXMojB1I) ## [Spectator Out Loud: James Heale, Iona Bain, Tali Fraser & James Phillips](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/out-loud-james-heale-iona-bain-tali-fraser-james-phillips) _2026-07-26 · Best of the Spectator_ On this week’s Spectator Out Loud : James Heale explains what the Opposition parties plan to do now that Andy Burnham is in No 10; Iona Bain explains why premium bonds are a pointless way to save for your child, and what to do instead; Tali Fraser asks whether we should be rolling back the years and all return to a barter economy; and finally, James Phillips reviews Biological War: A Scenario by… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a6371d5a7fbf9da142b51bb/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=LVBejtLAzyHRBWqLvelJf7yx-e_dPpiOntk89KFYLPI) ## [Americano: how Steve Hilton plans to win California](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/americano-how-steve-hilton-plans-to-win-california) _2026-07-26 · Best of the Spectator_ Steve Hilton is the British immigrant backed by President Trump who is running to be the next governor of California. On the podcast Steve and Freddy discuss his campaign, one slogan being Cali-fordable – how to improve the cost of living; why the Democratic 'machine' all hail from California and the East vs West coast political divide. Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold, at… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a5a803578e0412bc62fca76/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=kGszgn58OpRdToq-1WjiqkJvGxUEAuBbf0iJHTxRLZ0) ## [Coffee House Shots: Nick Clegg's coalition regrets](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/coffee-house-shots-nick-cleggs-coalition-regrets) _2026-07-24 · Best of the Spectator_ Tim Shipman is joined by Sir Nick Clegg, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, as part of The Spectator's new event series, Tim Shipman Meets the Party Leaders. Tim challenges Sir Nick on the decisions that defined his political career, from his passionate support for Europe to the failed referendum on an alternative voting system, and those famous coalition years.… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a6214f922500f7120133230/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=XmI5tXtmPVhWY685drZk-B1yC_OmfgbxvrbGJf8wjnA) ## [What About Pickles, Salt and Health](https://bobissenman.substack.com/p/what-about-pickles-salt-and-health) _2026-07-24 · Robert Issenman · Robert’s Substack_ If Pickles are Prebiotic, What about all that Salt? ## [AI QA That Opens Fix PRs (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/fZlAzZUxlilC) _2026-07-24 · **Sponsored**_ Runs browser QA, files issues with repro evidence, and opens fix PRs. ## [The Edition: Burnham’s chaotic takeover](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-edition-burnhams-chaotic-takeover) _2026-07-23 · Best of the Spectator_ This week: has Andy Burnham really brought change to Downing Street – or merely repackaged Labour’s old guard? Has Ed Miliband been sidelined by being sent to the Foreign Office, a ‘non-job’ in which he can do little harm? The panel also asks whether Burnham is prepared to make the difficult decisions required of a prime minister – and why the Conservatives have been so reluctant to demand a… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a6250484fac21e67fb515a3/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=1AoVcjwmpuX9Moq3xSGvt1sx_y7KNZCa-gOguSkciEk) ## [The Book Club: 160 years of Beatrix Potter](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-book-club-160-years-of-beatrix-potter) _2026-07-22 · Best of the Spectator_ This week marks the 160th anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s birth. In this week’s Book Club podcast, I’m joined by Penny Bradshaw, author of An A–Z of Beatrix Potter , and the historian and biographer Kathryn Hughes, whose books include Catland: Feline Enchantment and the Making of the Modern World , George Eliot and The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton . We plunge into the Potterverse. Does… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a60be304fac21e67f2c2f44/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=UpKBcfF9RZzPrsKEUa9XNk1QiiSoV9YXWYVqG3KCXFA) ## [Quite right!: inside Burnham’s brutal Labour purge](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/quite-right-inside-burnhams-brutal-labour-purge) _2026-07-21 · Best of the Spectator_ Andy Burnham has begun his premiership with a sweeping reshuffle, purging many of Keir Starmer’s closest allies and installing a cabinet in his own image. Has he ended Labour factionalism – or simply created a new faction of enemies? And does the appointment of John Healey as Chancellor suggest that Burnham wants a safe pair of hands rather than a rival power base? Michael and Maddie also ask… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a5fabb3fa136e7931c29271/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=gIyTMoFtTiVjAwkyzLz_iIk3eRv5b15zPc0EgzmSIPY) ## [Spectator Out Loud: Michael Gove, Count Binface, Michael Simmons & Graeme Thomson](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/spectator-out-loud-michael-gove-count-binface-michael-simmon) _2026-07-21 · Best of the Spectator_ On this week’s Spectator Out Loud : Michael Gove explains why he is against more security for MPs; taking a brief break from campaigning in clacton as count binface, Jon Harvey explains why Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is a triumph; Michael Simmons says shut up about your disability; and finally, Graeme Thomson reviews Madonna. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a5a7e8b7a878a3380849aaf/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=adS2i08EXWgxMo2Wn4ccnnymRxUnR5fkqeJjThu-4Mg) ## [Coffee House: Burnham becomes Prime Minister](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/coffee-house-burnham-becomes-prime-minister) _2026-07-20 · Best of the Spectator_ As Andy Burnham unveils his first Cabinet, join Tim Shipman and James Heale for a special live edition of Coffee House. Who’s in, who’s out? What do the appointments reveal about Burnham’s priorities, and might they hint at the likely direction of his premiership? Along with a panel of familiar faces and special guests, get the only analysis you’ll need as the political implications begin to… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a5e78adc8941e699185fb7a/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=MiRcgvqAvOFi-rafb5FdMGgBS-z2sUjGA2Eg3w_lB2U) ## [Reality Check: Fact checking Rupert Lowe on Joe Rogan](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/reality-check-fact-checking-rupert-lowe-on-joe-rogan) _2026-07-20 · Best of the Spectator_ Last week, the Joe Rogan Experience podcast released a two-hour interview with Rupert Lowe, leader of the Restore party. Was Lowe there merely to create content – or is Restore a serious political party? Some of his statements suggest it’s the former rather than the latter. The Spectator's John O'Neil wrote a piece for the website correcting some of Lowe's claims. He joined Michael Simmons on this… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a56bfba039f51de13329386/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=EQA0Fb-iso5xzvvCZ5W_0Q3U0nT98VHMrY2Wl6wRIao) ## [Americano: what did Lindsey Graham want?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/americano-what-did-lindsey-graham-want) _2026-07-19 · Best of the Spectator_ On Sunday, the Senator Lindsay Graham died suddenly having just return from a trip to Ukraine. It is believed he suffered from a sudden heart problem. Spectator contributor Dan McCarthy reflects on Graham's political career which was heavily involved in foreign policy, his relationship with Trump and sense of humour, plus how Lindsay Graham represented the people of South Carolina, especially the… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a56c0297e01c44e38bcbbdd/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=Ku0y30m4k5l9v_CCfkhwVmX7SxDQr_H_h_Fy1-uUW8A) ## [It’s a Pickle of a Summer](https://bobissenman.substack.com/p/its-a-pickle-of-a-summer) _2026-07-17 · Robert Issenman · Robert’s Substack_ In Spring a young man’s heart turns to love. In summer an old man’s heart turns to pickles. ## [Coffee House Shots: why MPs must be whipped | Simon Hart](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/coffee-house-shots-why-mps-must-be-whipped-simon-hart) _2026-07-17 · Best of the Spectator_ Andy Burnham has promised to turn the whips’ office into an ‘HR department’ – but the former chief whip Simon Hart warns that the approach is ‘naive’ and could leave the new prime minister unable to control his party. Hart explains why large majorities can be harder to manage than small ones, what Keir Starmer got wrong and why Burnham will begin making enemies as soon as he appoints his first… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a58bae8c0080f2be7375e99/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=rUigro2Dd6AQzm-UOdkzGZyzoHVrOdKXH_GcAkQZMgQ) ## [The Edition: can Burnham remake Britain – and can Wales decolonise it?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-edition-can-burnham-remake-britain-and-can-wales-decolon) _2026-07-16 · Best of the Spectator_ For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s political editor, Tim Shipman, commissioning editor and writer at large Tali Fraser, and the historian Antony Beevor. This week: what will Andy Burnham actually do in Downing Street? Tim reveals what to expect from the incoming prime minister’s first ten days, from a blitz of policies and a ‘Number 10 North’ to higher borrowing… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a58fa46461a6a4190ca3b99/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=slbtRwDazfd0PBY5aO0HBGhKdEiTdRM3ylxoDwBRB_E) ## [The Book Club: Rome's Age of Revolutions](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-book-club-romes-age-of-revolutions) _2026-07-15 · Best of the Spectator_ My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Tim Whitmarsh, Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge and author of Rome’s Age of Revolution: Augustus, Empire and the Making of Christianity . He tells me why, contrary to what we may have learnt at Sunday school, early Christianity flourished not despite the Roman empire, but because of it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a560bdaf96471dde480abc2/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=Uozq0r8TguUHenSwZQKpyv15YJkk_tXocKFrYTf4hdY) ## [Quite right!: Burnham is wrong to ditch Palantir | Louis Mosley](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/quite-right-burnham-is-wrong-to-ditch-palantir-louis-mosley) _2026-07-14 · Best of the Spectator_ Louis Mosley is the UK head of Palantir, one of the world’s most powerful – and controversial – technology companies. Its work with the NHS, the US government and western militaries has made it a lightning rod for criticism, with opponents accusing it of threatening privacy, enabling mass deportations and supporting military operations in Gaza. Louis therefore occupies an unusual position at the… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a5675a6c90e948cc4caa15e/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=BDTVcU87238dCHgoU7kwltt0PkENneTYyp3V5WYVO7M) ## [Americano: How the US views Britain's right-wing circus](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/americano-how-the-us-views-britains-right-wing-circus) _2026-07-14 · Best of the Spectator_ Both Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe have been in the America, telling the political elite all about Britain's demise. Freddy Gray is joined by The Times Washington editor Katy Balls to discuss how the right-wing insurgence in British politics translates to an American, the difference between how the online right, versus a typical Republican may see Farage vs Lowe, and how significant Trump has been… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a51400fc2f78bb689740e8e/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=KRmYkZdX9lO2Mmh4ljn4te_HoQ_0aHSupLc7Tx1Fd_c) ## [Spectator Out Loud: Tali Fraser, Damian Thompson, Matthew Wilson & Christa d’Souza](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/spectator-out-loud-tali-fraser-damian-thompson-matthew-wilso) _2026-07-12 · Best of the Spectator_ This week: Tali Fraser gives the definitive answer to what Andy Burnham’s ‘Manchesterism’ actually is; Damian Thompson asks if there is any route back for the Society of St Pius X; Matthew Wilson discusses whether Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey can live up to the 2,700-year history of artworks depicting Homer’s epic; and Christa d’Souza reads her Notes on … Tans. Hosted on Acast. See… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a51037fe31e37bb565d5fea/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=Ub8XB3V8XtXilTqrkYQok2_w8mXtnDDYoM_U-yMXS9g) ## [Holy Smoke: how religion shapes football](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/holy-smoke-how-religion-shapes-football) _2026-07-11 · Best of the Spectator_ From idolising players to faithfully following a club, football is often described as the world’s secular religion. But religion has long been woven into the fabric of the game itself. From the sectarian roots of Glasgow’s Old Firm rivalry between Catholic Celtic and Protestant Rangers to Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in 1986, faith has repeatedly shaped football’s… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a5104c5a410914b58511735/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=XhrSYBWh-CcZj5i-c_nIB3Vvkpc8gfpDjcfogsQBY9A) ## [Coffee House Shots: how we plan to beat Reform | Conservative chairman](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/coffee-house-shots-how-we-plan-to-beat-reform-conservative-c) _2026-07-10 · Best of the Spectator_ The Tories will not stand a candidate against Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election – and on today’s podcast Conservative party chairman Kevin Hollinrake explains why. Hollinrake also reveals what is behind the turnaround in the Conservatives’ fortunes and their bump in the polls, as well as how the party plans to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past: namely, talking right but governing… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a4fc60c81fe1f6460400e77/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=2kbHSZN_2w6ilEJiVNkOGrsUGra5sPQcAV36VdGy6S8) ## [#Poison Ivy, #Poison Oak - Non-Fatal Attraction](https://bobissenman.substack.com/p/poison-ivy-poison-oak-and-contact) _2026-07-10 · Robert Issenman · Robert’s Substack_ Poison Ivy/Poison Oak Ain't No Joke ## [The Edition: has Farage lost control?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-edition-has-farage-lost-control) _2026-07-09 · Best of the Spectator_ For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, deputy editor of the US edition Gus Carter and the Mail on Sunday’s restaurant critic Tom Parker Bowles. This week: Nigel Farage’s greatest gamble. After resigning as MP for Clacton to trigger a by-election, Farage has tried to turn questions over his finances into a referendum on the… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a4fc949f8a80edf854d4292/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=plGo28O9elncbZ6U08uBLFaqCUGTfhr0MZ6wcKqf2mI) ## [Americano: the truth about Gavin Newsom](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/americano-the-truth-about-gavin-newsom) _2026-07-09 · Best of the Spectator_ Gavin Newsom has spent the last two years building a national profile for himself beyond his controversial leadership of California as its Governor. But is he equipped to take on the challenges that would be faced by a Presidential run in 2028, that go beyond the left-wing political bubble of The Golden State? Freddy Gray speaks to Christopher Rufo, author of the Christopher Rufo Substack, and a… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a47950604fac73b24a718a1/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=1dzgi1r3zV1Wl7_zOCaYxskAFX6U5HniUErFf8_wDDM) ## [Quite right!: did Cummings predict Farage’s downfall?](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/quite-right-did-cummings-predict-farages-downfall) _2026-07-07 · Best of the Spectator_ Nigel Farage has resigned as MP for Clacton and will fight a by-election in an attempt to turn questions over his finances into a referendum on ‘the people vs the establishment’. Is this a political masterstroke or a mistake? Has Farage taken back control of the narrative, or will the row over undeclared money continue to plague Reform? Michael and Maddie also discuss whether Dominic Cummings’s… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a4d69f5c130c408c2db1173/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=KkevyLs8dzpmwhgjUAsr8uyyxGBlEXMYMpl_1BGFJkg)