The Edition

By The Spectator

What's The Edition about?

The Spectator's flagship podcast featuring discussions and debates on the best features from the week's edition. Presented by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.

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The Edition episodes:

04.18.2024
The dangers of political prosecution
This week: the usual targets First: Trump is on trial again – and America is bored rather than scandalised. This is his 91st criminal charge and his supporters see this as politicised prosecution. As an American, Kate Andrews has seen how...
04.11.2024
Will Biden support Ukraine’s attacks on Russia?
This week: will Biden support Ukraine’s attacks on Russia? Owen Matthews writes the cover piece in light of the Zelensky drone offensive. Ukraine’s most successful strategy to date has been its ingenious use of homemade, long-range drones, which it has used...
04.04.2024
The Starmer supremacy
On the podcast this week: what could achieving a large majority at the next election mean for Labour; how much should parents worry about picky eating; and why are humans fascinated with the apocalypse? First up: The Starmer supremacy. If the polls...
03.28.2024
Easter special: how forgiveness was forgotten
This week: how forgiveness was forgotten, why the secular tide might be turning, and looking for romance at the British museum. Up first: The case of Frank Hester points to something deep going on in our culture, writes Douglas Murray in...
03.21.2024
War on words: is Scotland ready for its new hate crime law?
On the podcast: Scotland’s new hate crime law; the man who could be France’s next PM; and why do directors meddle with Shakespeare? First up: Scotland is smothering free speech. Scotland is getting a new, modern blasphemy code in the form of...
03.14.2024
Will the Red Wall revolt split the right?
On the podcast this week: is Rishi ready for a Red Wall rebellion? Lee Anderson’s defection to Reform is an indication of the final collapse of the Tories’ 2019 electoral coalition and the new split in the right, writes Katy Balls...
03.07.2024
Trump II: Back with a Vengeance
On the podcast: what would Trump’s second term look like? Vengeance is a lifelong theme of Donald Trump’s, writes Freddy Gray in this week’s cover story – and this year’s presidential election could provide his most delectable payback of all. Meanwhile,...
02.29.2024
Plan Bibi: stalemate suits Netanyahu
Welcome to a slightly new format for the Edition podcast! Each week we will be talking about the magazine – as per usual – but trying to give a little more insight into the process behind putting The Spectator to...
02.22.2024
Why Britain stopped working
Welcome to a slightly new format for the Edition podcast! Each week we will be talking about the magazine – as per usual – but trying to give a little more insight into the process behind putting The Spectator bed...
02.15.2024
Is Nato ready for war with Russia?
Welcome to a slightly new format for the Edition podcast! Each week we will be talking about the magazine – as per usual – but trying to give a little more insight into the process behind putting The Spectator to...
02.08.2024
Inside the plot to take down Rishi Sunak
Welcome to a slightly new format for the Edition podcast! Each week will be talking about the magazine – as per usual – but trying to give a little more insight into the process behind putting The Spectator to bed...
02.01.2024
How the Tories gave up on liberty
On the podcast: have the Tories given up on liberty? Kate Andrews writes the cover story for The Spectator this week. She argues that after the government announced plans to ban disposable vapes and smoking for those born after 2009, the...
01.25.2024
McMafia: inside the SNP’s secret state
On the podcast: gangsterism or government? The Covid Inquiry has moved to Scotland and, in his cover story for the magazine, our editor Fraser Nelson looks at the many revelations uncovered by Jamie Dawson KC. Fraser describes how civil servants were...
01.18.2024
How Britain sobered up
This week: The Spectator’s cover story looks at how Britain is sobering up, forgoing alcohol in favour of alcohol free alternatives. In his piece, Henry Jeffreys – author of Empire of Booze – attacks the vice of sobriety and argues that...
01.11.2024
Why Trump can’t be stopped
This week: can anyone stop Trump? The Spectator’s deputy editor Freddy Guy takes a look at Trump's ‘second coming’ in his cover story. He says that despite Trump’s legal troubles, he is almost certain to receive the Republican nomination. Freddy joins...
01.04.2024
Putin’s ‘peace’ is a partitioned Ukraine
On the podcast: In his new year’s address this year Vladimir Putin made no mention of the war in Ukraine – despite missile strikes over the Christmas period – and now Owen Matthews reports in The Spectator this week rumours that...
12.14.2023
Christmas Special 2023
Welcome to this festive episode of the Edition podcast, where we will be taking you through the pages of The Spectator’s special Christmas triple issue. Up first: What a year in politics it has been. 2023 has seen scandals, sackings, arrests...
12.07.2023
Does Keir Starmer stack up?
In her cover piece for the magazine this week, The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls writes that whilst Keir Starmer’s accession seems certain, his agenda is less so. She tries to piece together what a Labour government would look like...
11.30.2023
Carbon capture: how China cornered the green market
On the podcast: In her cover piece for the magazine, The Spectator's assistant editor Cindy Yu – writing ahead of the COP28 summit this weekend – describes how China has cornered the renewables market. She joins the podcast alongside Akshat Rathi, senior...
11.23.2023
Israel's challenge
On the podcast: Anshel Pfeffer writes The Spectator’s cover story this week. He voices concern that support from Israel’s allies might begin to waver if they don’t develop a viable plan after the war finishes. Paul Wood – former BBC foreign...
11.16.2023
Back to the future: Sunak's big gamble
On the podcast: It's been a busy week in Westminster. On Monday, Rishi Sunak's first major reshuffle saw Suella Braverman sacked and David Cameron make a surprise return to politics. Then two days later, the Supreme Court's Rwanda ruling left...
11.09.2023
Keeping the peace: the politics of policing protest
On the podcast: In his cover piece for The Spectator Ian Acheson discusses the potential disruption to Armistice Day proceedings in London this weekend. He says that Metropolitan Police Chief Mark Rowley is right to let the pro-Palestine protests go...
11.02.2023
The Covid farce
This week: The Covid Inquiry has reached its more dramatic stage this week with the likes of Domic Cummings, Lee Cain and Martin Reynolds giving evidence. But in his cover piece for the magazine Carl Heneghan, professor of evidence-based medicine...
10.26.2023
Identity crisis
On the podcast: In his cover piece for the mag this week, political scientist, Yascha Mounk has written about why identity politics has polarised our understanding of race. And why the left has come to divide groups into oversimplified categories of...
10.19.2023
New world disorder
On the podcast: In The Spectator's cover piece Jonathan Spyer writes that as America's role in international security diminishes history is moving Iran’s way, with political Islam now commanding much of the Middle East. He is joined by Ravi Agrawal,...
10.12.2023
Unholy war
This week: Paul Wood writes for The Spectator about the role that Iran potentially played in the Hamas attack on Israel over the weekend. He says that it is unlikely that the proscribed terrorist group acted alone and joins the...
10.05.2023
Battle begins
This week: Katy Balls writes in her cover piece that after Tory conference the battle lines have now been drawn between the two main parties. She says we should prepare for a 'presidential campaign' ahead of the 2024 election and...
09.28.2023
Judgment call: the case for leaving the ECHR
On the podcast this week: Lord Sumption makes the case for leaving the ECHR in The Spectator's cover piece. He says that the UK has strong courts and can pass judgement on human rights by itself and joins the podcast...
09.21.2023
Italy's new wave: Europe's escalating migrant crisis
This week: Christopher Caldwell writes The Spectator's cover piece on Italy’s new wave of migrants. This is in light of the situation in Lampedusa which he argues could upend European politics. Chris joins the podcast alongside Amy Kazmin, Rome correspondent at...
09.14.2023
Bombshell: Why aren't we giving Ukraine what it needs?
On the podcast this week: Boris Johnson writes The Spectator’s cover piece, urging the West to supply more military assistance to Ukraine, in order to bring a swift end to the war. Former commander of the joint forces Sir Richard Barrons...
09.07.2023
Broken Britain: what went wrong?
On the podcast: In her cover piece for the magazine, The Spectator’s economics editor Kate Andrews writes that political short termism has broken Britain. She joins the podcast alongside Giles Wilkes, former number 10 advisor and senior fellow at the Institute...
08.31.2023
India's century: Sunak's plan for a new Indo-Pacific alliance
This week: In his cover piece for the magazine, The Spectator’s political correspondent James Heale writes that the PM’s visit to New Delhi for the G20 Summit next week could be a defining moment in the special relationship between Britain...
08.24.2023
Trumpvision: he's making America watch again
On the podcast this week: In his cover piece for the magazine, The Spectator’s deputy editor Freddy Gray says that he was hardly surprised that Donald Trump chose not to participate in last night’s Republican candidates debate. He argues that Trump...
08.17.2023
Degrees of failure: is university still worth it?
This week: The cover of The Spectator magazine looks at whether after years of Covid-based disruption, rising cost and lecturer strikes, university students are getting what they paid for. The Spectator’s data editor Michael Simmons writes a sidebar in which he...
08.10.2023
Country strife: the covert campaign against field sports
This week: It’s a special episode of the Edition podcast because our very own William Moore writes The Spectator’s cover piece, on how rural pursuits are being threatened by lawfare from countryside groups. Jonathan Roberts, who leads the external affairs team...
08.03.2023
Supercops: the return of tough policing
In this week’s cover article, The Spectator's political editor Katy Balls takes a look at the bottom-up reform that’s happening in some parts of the country, and asks whether tough policing is making a comeback. Katy joins the podcast together...
07.27.2023
Bankrolled: Labour’s new paymasters
In this week’s cover story, The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls writes about Labour’s new paymasters – Keir Starmer’s party now receives more money from private donors than it does from trade unions. What do the new donors want, and...
07.20.2023
Road rage: the great motorist rebellion has begun
This week: In his cover piece for the magazine Ross Clark writes about ‘the war on motorists'. He argues that the backlash against London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s expansion of Ulez is just the beginning, as motorists – and Labour MPs –...
07.13.2023
Barbie's world: the normalisation of cosmetic surgery
This week: Ahead of the release of the Barbie movie, Louise Perry writes in her cover piece about how social media is fuelling the cosmetic surgery industry. She argues that life in plastic is not, in fact, fantastic. She joins the...
07.06.2023
Why Europe riots
This week: In the magazine we look at the recent protests in France. The Spectator's Douglas Murray argues that racism is not the problem but that a significant chunk of the unintegrated immigrant population is. He is joined by Dr Rakib...
06.29.2023
After Putin: how nervous should we be?
This week: In the magazine we look at the Wagner Group’s failed coup and its implications for Putin’s reign. The Spectator’s Russia correspondent Owen Matthews examines why the Kremlin permits the existence of private armies such as Prigozhin’s Wagner Group, and...
06.22.2023
Home truths: the crushing reality of the mortgage crisis
This week: First up: for the cover piece, The Spectator’s economics editor Kate Andrews has written about Britain’s mortgage timebomb, as the UK faces the sharpest interest rate hike since the 80s. In the year leading up to the general election,...
06.15.2023
Get Rishi: the plot against the PM
This week: For her cover piece, The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls writes that Boris Johnson could be attempting to spearhead an insurgency against the prime minister. She joins the podcast alongside historian and author Sir Anthony Seldon, to discuss whether...
06.08.2023
Harry’s crusade: the Prince vs the press
This week: Prince Harry has taken the stand to give evidence in the Mirror Group phone hacking trial which The Spectator’s deputy editor Freddy Gray talks about in his cover piece for the magazine. He is joined by Patrick Jephson, former...
06.01.2023
Red Rishi
On this week’s episode: Price caps are back in the news as the government is reportedly considering implementing one on basic food items. What happened to the Rishi Sunak who admired Margaret Thatcher and Nigel Lawson? In her cover article this...
05.25.2023
Ukraine's next move
This week: In his cover piece, journalist Mark Galeotti asks whether Putin can be outsmarted by Zelensky’s counter-offensive. He is joined by The Spectator’s own Svitlana Morenets to discuss Ukraine's next move. (01:08) Also this week: Journalist David Goodhart writes a moving...
05.18.2023
Migration nation: Brexit has meant more immigration than ever
This week: Spectator editor Fraser Nelson writes in this week’s cover story about how Brexit has led to Britain having more, not less, immigration – Rishi Sunak’s government is masking dysfunction in the welfare system by bringing in people to fill...
05.11.2023
Trump's second act: why he can still win, in spite of everything
This week: Having been found guilty of sexual assault, is Donald Trump still in the running for the White House? In his cover piece Niall Ferguson says he could still defy gravity. He joins the podcast alongside Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of...
05.04.2023
A King in a hurry: what will Charles III's reign look like?
This week: In his cover piece for the magazine, Daily Mail writer, author of Queen of Our Times and co-presenter of the Tea at the Palace podcast, Robert Hardman looks ahead to the reign of King Charles III. He joins...
04.27.2023
The Starmtroopers: Labour's new recruits
This week: In her cover piece for the magazine, The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls writes that as Labour prepares for government, Keir Starmer is rooting out the far left sections of his party and replacing them with moderates. She...

What's The Edition about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Edition episodes:

The dangers of political prosecution

Will Biden support Ukraine’s attacks on Russia?

The Starmer supremacy

Easter special: how forgiveness was forgotten

War on words: is Scotland ready for its new hate crime law?

Will the Red Wall revolt split the right?

Trump II: Back with a Vengeance

Plan Bibi: stalemate suits Netanyahu

Why Britain stopped working

Is Nato ready for war with Russia?

Inside the plot to take down Rishi Sunak

How the Tories gave up on liberty

McMafia: inside the SNP’s secret state

How Britain sobered up

Why Trump can’t be stopped

Putin’s ‘peace’ is a partitioned Ukraine

Christmas Special 2023

Does Keir Starmer stack up?

Carbon capture: how China cornered the green market

Israel's challenge

Back to the future: Sunak's big gamble

Keeping the peace: the politics of policing protest

The Covid farce

Identity crisis

New world disorder

Unholy war

Battle begins

Judgment call: the case for leaving the ECHR

Italy's new wave: Europe's escalating migrant crisis

Bombshell: Why aren't we giving Ukraine what it needs?

Broken Britain: what went wrong?

India's century: Sunak's plan for a new Indo-Pacific alliance

Trumpvision: he's making America watch again

Degrees of failure: is university still worth it?

Country strife: the covert campaign against field sports

Supercops: the return of tough policing

Bankrolled: Labour’s new paymasters

Road rage: the great motorist rebellion has begun

Barbie's world: the normalisation of cosmetic surgery

Why Europe riots

After Putin: how nervous should we be?

Home truths: the crushing reality of the mortgage crisis

Get Rishi: the plot against the PM

Harry’s crusade: the Prince vs the press

Red Rishi

Ukraine's next move

Migration nation: Brexit has meant more immigration than ever

Trump's second act: why he can still win, in spite of everything

A King in a hurry: what will Charles III's reign look like?

The Starmtroopers: Labour's new recruits