My guest in this week's Book Club podcast is the biographer Frances Wilson, whose new book Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark was recently lauded in these pages as "mesmerising" and "a revolutionary book". She tells me how she immersed herself in the spooky life and peerless art of the great novelist, and why a conventional biographical treatment would never have been adequate to a subject for whom fiction and reality twined in unexpected and disconcerting ways.

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What's left of the Tories?

The Commons is closing down for the summer, but Kemi Badenoch has treated us to a shadow cabinet reshuffle. At the beginning of the year, Badenoch’s team were keen to stress stability, dismissing talk of an early reshuffle. But, as so often in politics, events have forced her hand. Ed Argar, the shadow health secretary, had a health scare earlier this summer. He has today stepped back from the frontbench to focus on his recovery. Badenoch is therefore using his departure as the chance to make what she calls ‘a few changes to my frontbench.’

The headline is that Sir James Cleverly, former foreign and home secretary, is returning to the front bench as shadow housing secretary. Is his new position designed to take on Angela Rayner? And what's Badenoch planning to do about the Jenrick question? Lucy Dunn speaks to Michael Gove and Tim Shipman.

Is Epstein the new Russiagate?

Freddy Gray is joined by Spectator writer Roger Kimball. They delve into the Epstein claims, the media's handling of the story, Trump’s economic agenda, and whether the MAGA movement is holding strong or starting to splinter.

Will AI have rights?

Freddy Gray speaks to Spectator writer Paul Wood about his piece this the latest edition of Spectator World on AI and whether it will soon have rights. This first came about when Paul went to live in Rome and discovered some of the work the Vatican has been doing in AI.

The strange death of Tory England has been predicted before. But never has the ‘natural party of government’ faced a greater challenge to survive. The Conservatives are facing attacks on all fronts from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK. Kemi Badenoch’s six-month anniversary as leader was marked by the loss of nearly 700 councillors, with a stern test awaiting next year in Scotland and in Wales. She promises change with her long-awaited policy commissions, ahead of a make-or-break party conference in October, but can she turn it around? Is there a road back to power for the 121 surviving Tory MPs? And what exactly is Robert Jenrick and the rest of the shadow cabinet up to?

Join editor Michael Gove, new political editor Tim Shipman, assistant editor Isabel Hardman and the pollster Luke Tryl as they discuss where the Tories go from here.

This event is in partnership with Charles Stanley Wealth Managers.

Trump has said he's "very, very unhappy" with Russia, and threatened severe tariffs against them if there's no deal on Ukraine within 50 days. He's also sending more weapons to Ukraine in coordination with NATO. What's behind his change of heart on foreign policy, and how's his MAGA base responding? Freddy Gray is joined by deputy US editor Kate Andrews, and Sergey Radchenko, professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

You can watch this episode here: https://youtu.be/J_QvBDhAGgU

First up: how the Bank of England wrecked the economy

Britain’s economy is teetering on the brink of a deep fiscal hole, created by billions of pounds of unfunded spending – never-ending health promises, a spiralling welfare bill and a triple lock on the state pension, which will cost three times as much as originally estimated.

Although politicians ‘deserve much of the blame for the economic state we’re in’, it’s Andrew Bailey – Michael Simmons argues in the magazine this week – who ‘has enabled their recklessness’.

He joined the podcast to discuss who really broke Britain with Kate Andrews, Deputy Editor of The Spectator’s world edition and former Economics Editor. (01:15)

Next: has Ukraine lost faith in Zelensky?

Whilst Donald Trump’s surprise ‘newfound support for Ukraine is a welcome lifeline’, Owen Matthews writes in the magazine this week, ‘the question is whether his help will be enough to stop Russia’s relentless attacks before Ukraine is engulfed in a critical military, political and social crisis that threatens to destroy it from within’. Ukraine is running out of men, and is racked by corruption scandals and purges. As a consequence, public faith in Volodymyr Zelensky is declining.

To discuss what’s next for Ukraine, Owen joined the podcast. (24:29)

And finally: the joys of mudlarking

In the arts section of the magazine this week, Margaret Mitchell reviews a new exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands on mudlarking – the practice of combing at low tide for washed-up items of historical interest. These can include everything from statues of Roman gods and goddesses to the common vape – and it’s a hobby that is booming in popularity.

To discuss, Margaret joined the podcast alongside Lara Maiklem, mudlarker and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. (41:07)

Hosted by William Moore and Gus Carter.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Candice Chung is a food writer whose work has been featured in many publications, including the Guardian. Her first book, Chinese Parents Don’t Say I Love You, is out now.

On the podcast, she tells Liv about her earliest memories of food growing up in Hong Kong, why trying lasagne for the first time was a magical experience, and how Chinese parents show their love through food.