# spectator (podcasts) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 4 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover spectator. Page: Feed: --- ## [Reviewing Andy's report card – with Baroness Debbonaire](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/reviewing-andys-report-card-with-baroness-debbonaire) _2026-08-21 · Coffee House Shots_ One month on from Andy Burnham entering Downing Street and a lot has changed at the top of government. Starmer's old guard have been reshuffled or replaced, and Burnham's government have announced dozens of new projects, but the big challenges that he faces are largely the same. Noa Hoffman is joined by Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, the former shadow culture secretary, to review Andy's report card.… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a85dcc05c9c346c638b74bb/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=0bQnYku0-tOcZPT_N_-eyp_U3UoaokqrKTHeauf0DQM) ## [Does anyone in Burnham’s government understand economics?](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/does-anyone-in-burnhams-government-understand-economics) _2026-08-21 · Coffee House Shots_ There’s more gloomy economic news for Andy Burnham as unemployment disappoints, inflation rises and the public finances take another hit. With welfare spending and debt interest climbing, how much room does the government really have to deliver on its promises? Meanwhile, Burnham has pledged to be the ‘cost of living’ Prime Minister – but one Treasury insider tells Michael Simmons that there is… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a882856b0d5e24ea419cd05/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=dauVGMDpiW2q44sIxyl1kIGL4L7CUBohBkZ7kt-PnUQ) ## [The Edition: has the West lost the will to defend itself? | with Maureen Lipman](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/the-edition-has-the-west-lost-the-will-to-defend-itself-with) _2026-08-20 · Best of the Spectator_ William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, commissioning editor Tali Fraser and actress Maureen Lipman. This week: has the West lost the will to defend itself? The panel discuss the threats posed by China, Russia and Islamism – and whether Western societies have become too reluctant to defend their own values. Maureen also warns about the rise of antisemitism, arguing… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a872a55d6b6da9392e57d78/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=utL6t-KlVEx22YxerRHcgNOKNOrYiq8WaFpHKS9BRG8) ## [Zia vs Shippers – and Sue Gray breaks her silence](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/zia-vs-shippers-and-sue-gray-breaks-her-silence) _2026-08-20 · Coffee House Shots_ It continues – thankfully – to be an interesting summer: there’s devolution news, Reform taking lumps out of each other and Sue Gray has broken her silence. But first, Andy Burnham is shifting the machinery of government north, promising to put growth at the heart of his new Manchester operation. Will moving power out of Whitehall actually make a difference? Elsewhere, tensions inside Reform spill… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a870972dcddb5e3cf441af2/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=K_eZxyDzew_Zz7dMi-3PA9KI9U6_1q7u3OWZcxPXadU) ## [Reality check: the truth about Britain’s water crisis – and what it means for net zero](https://shows.acast.com/best-of-the-spectator/episodes/reality-check-the-truth-about-britains-water-crisis-and-what) _2026-08-19 · Best of the Spectator_ Britain is in the grip of another hot, dry summer, with hosepipe bans in force and fears growing about the country’s water supply. But are we really running out of water? Michael Simmons is joined by Reality Check reporter John Power to explain what is actually behind the shortages, whether Britain needs more reservoirs and why nationalising the water companies may not be the answer. They also ask… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a85e0849cb9faa61a473985/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=cUVecnyxoj95GTxkV71rEvHoUs5rvGy2GuOk0uXLTnY) ## [Has the Green civil war finally begun?](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/are-the-greens-finally-at-war-with-one-another) _2026-08-19 · Coffee House Shots_ There was never an expectation that Zack Polanski's alliance between the progressive left, the ecological environmentalists, and the conservative muslim factions of the Green Party would last forever, but today it seems that the war of dissolution may have finally begun. Noa Hoffman is joined by Andrew Gilligan to discuss what has been going down inside the Greens under Polanski, and how a boiling… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a85b982b9d83ea9cc45e6a4/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=UMm8RG6Oy57MOkUs0EXuTxpwu16MdyJJtSo6CCAW1Ck) ## [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) ## [Reform suspends Tim Montgomerie after Spectator interview](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/reform-suspends-tim-montgomerie-after-spectator-interview) _2026-08-18 · Coffee House Shots_ 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/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a846fd639e73ea8f3db9bd4/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=SOM2nAR5vxJi2ln17iOqAelTH0wAtxdkXH_7H5pMCtI) ## [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) ## [Wandering bishops, rival popes & schismatic churches](https://shows.acast.com/holy-smoke/episodes/the-wandering-bishops-rival-popes-of-catholicism) _2026-08-18 · Holy Smoke_ 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/6835905c2780b226c72e9d0d/e/6a8396b6ff328abd84b0295e/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=7MD7GSp4ItjqFadfvumThLV6jzJ-mKVlr0e57Tnck2Y) ## [Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/qvmWHvgd1q4d) _2026-08-18 · **Sponsored**_ Buy, sell and margin trade BTC & ETH with fiat currencies ## [EXCLUSIVE | 'Zia needs to be a team player' – Tim Montgomerie](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/tim-montgomerie-zia-needs-to-be-a-team-player) _2026-08-17 · Coffee House Shots_ Reform UK's Zia Yusuf spent last week putting a few noses out of joint, not least by calling the former Conservative defence secretary, Sir Ben Wallace, a traitor, a tweet Nigel Farage took the unusual step of criticising in public and which Yusuf declined to take down. Tim Shipman and James Heale are joined by Tim Montgomerie, founder of Conservative Home and now a Reform UK member, to ask… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a8315c9c2cc087689e09e50/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=bWNplVH3VKFOLSQ3halRdntl4uVh94z3dJ_5wmcKklI) ## [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) ## [One year of Polanski: more continuity than change?](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/has-zack-polanski-proven-more-continuity-than-change-for-the) _2026-08-15 · Coffee House Shots_ 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/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a7ee71983128ee3d237abab/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=1z4G4GFg7aEuK2oZSBaNKxZ2l2nr_0S98DObEUC3NQI) ## [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 ## [Farage beats the bin! – Clacton results unpacked](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/farage-beats-the-bin) _2026-08-14 · Coffee House Shots_ Shock horror: Nigel Farage has won the by-election in Calcton. Although you may be shocked by the scale of the victory. The Reform leader received 22,239 votes – 1,000 more than his total at the 2024 general election. His main rival, Count Binface – the ‘uniparty candidate’ as Farage says – secured a respectable 9,455 votes, a 26.7 per cent share. Turnout stood at 44.37 per cent, the… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a7ecd58049c692a6b3755ad/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=FsA5SGo1hwg9Dn5a4HuW1cto30lIXdD68AmiwVR5B9I) ## [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) ## [‘This is not a war!’ – why politicians are turning on the media | with Gabriel Pogrund](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/this-is-not-a-war-why-politicians-are-turning-on-the-media-w) _2026-08-13 · Coffee House Shots_ Politicians are increasingly turning on the journalists who scrutinise them. After investigations into Nigel Farage’s finances, Reform figures have accused reporters of waging a political ‘war’ – while Arron Banks has hired private investigators to look into Times journalist Gabriel Pogrund. Is hostility towards the media becoming a feature of modern politics? And is the relationship between… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a7dc95ef8e81c4395757229/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=TFBoPqgS4VSvS1akwOyiQopcmNsPdgBpEMLEoBzec8M) ## [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) ## [CLI-first decentralized compute (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/aXNA5q9XndC7) _2026-08-12 · **Sponsored**_ Run and pay spare GPUs from the CLI — transcode, coinpay (DID+escrow), infernet (AI). ## [Andy's migration muddle & can he fix the High Street?](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/andys-migration-muddle-can-he-fix-the-high-street) _2026-08-12 · Coffee House Shots_ Andy Burnham's summer bonanza continues as he announces plans to empower local councils and hopefully improve Britain's High Streets. The government wants to make it easier for councils to refuse certain types of businesses – but is the plethora of vape shops, betting shops and barbers a cause of Britain's High Street decline, or just a symptom? If there are no businesses to replace those, will… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a7c67f491cf66ecf88e5e76/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=gTl4HWUFuWlc-IRKBoCFvlIOWog2BBsvanF9MYYoYrA) ## [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) ## [Clacton by-election: what you need to know](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/clacton-by-election-what-you-need-to-know) _2026-08-11 · Coffee House Shots_ 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/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a7b18baf91cd396b37a6fb5/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=wHP6oMT15j4kdl45DrsCR3MKDY-Pkwy6Cvzsu3l7W2c) ## [What does Lowe actually want from Farage?](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/what-does-lowe-actually-want-from-farage) _2026-08-10 · Coffee House Shots_ Nigel Farage is trying to seize the summer agenda with a new crackdown on crime and immigration. Reform wants to send foreign national prisoners to countries such as El Salvador, deploy the Navy in the Channel and leave the ECHR – but how much of the plan could actually work? Meanwhile, hopes of a reconciliation between Reform and Rupert Lowe’s Restore appear to be fading. Farage has ruled out a… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a79dc5b446de273c0e89685/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=cEkpYL1GB30_XrGdUd0rX497u3kJ-xnk7tHSnl3hOXg) ## [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) ## [How Project Spire will hurt England's parishes](https://shows.acast.com/holy-smoke/episodes/how-project-spire-will-hurt-englands-parishes) _2026-08-08 · Holy Smoke_ 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/6835905c2780b226c72e9d0d/e/6a7602802578a0c7e25a2e86/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=dXXcWoS87VfN1J_cXc5rhmMMsMc_KGZnGydGq37Mbzw) ## [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) ## ['The Tories remain the existential threat to Labour' – interview with Jonathan Ashworth](https://shows.acast.com/coffee-house-shots/episodes/the-tories-are-and-remain-the-existential-threat-to-labour-i) _2026-08-08 · Coffee House Shots_ Jonathan Ashworth is a former Labour MP and shadow cabinet minister. On today's podcast James Heale and Jonathan discuss Andy's first few weeks as Prime Minister, how he's changed since the Blair-Brown era, whether Burnham's promises in devolution stack up and they discuss whether Morgan McSweeney is right to change his mind on the Conservatives, rather than Reform being the greatest threat to… [Listen](https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68359028e1abc4be6b032cd1/e/6a76f38191f158549e7f98f0/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=qSYxHZLSGuR8P2P7s3bTooUWAHjCAKnmR-bm0B8TL9I) ## [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) ## [Install Manifest V3 Extension (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/Dp0a2yXAKGKd) _2026-08-07 · **Sponsored**_ Get this Manifest V3 extension from the official TronBrowser Store listing. ## [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) ## [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) ## [Coffee House Shots: Britain's first Catholic PM](https://shows.acast.com/holy-smoke/episodes/britains-first-catholic-pm-with-patrick-maguire) _2026-07-31 · Holy Smoke_ 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/6835905c2780b226c72e9d0d/e/6a6cb64e61ae402f61293f4a/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=uts--SQlr8Wd8dgD-ON5hafgVdNLayhIMkInMg-Grp4) ## [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? ## [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)