The Edition

By The SpectatorSociety & Culture News News Commentary

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The Edition episodes

June 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 – in light of the Privileges Committee's findings – Boris is going to seriously up the ante when it comes to seeking revenge against his former chancellor. (01:02)

Also this week:

In The Spectator journalist Paul Wood writes about how Saudi Arabia is buying the world, after the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund negotiated a controlling interest in the main US golf tournament, the PGA. This took many people by surprise. He is joined by New York Times journalist Justin Scheck to debate whether MBS's motivation really is international recognition, or perhaps domestic security. (12:41)

And finally:

In the books section of the magazine Simon Heffer reviews Tim Burrow’s new book: The Invention of Essex: The Making of an English County. They both join the podcast to consider whether the 'Essex Man' as alive and well. (25:00)

Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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35 min
June 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 private secretary to Princess Diana, to discuss whether Harry's 'suicide mission' against the press is ill-advised. (01:22)

Also this week:

In The Spectator professor Robert Tombs details the trouble with returning the Benin Bronzes back to Nigeria, arguing that their restitution is more complicated than some claim. He is joined by Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, executive director of the Restitution Study Group, who have recently screened a short film in Cannes, detailing why they think the bronzes should stay where they are. (14:07)

And finally:

Journalist Emily Rhodes writes this week about the rise of fake libraries and the current online trend for having phoney books on bookshelves. She joins the podcast alongside The Spectator’s literary editor Sam Leith, to discuss whether this fad could spell the end for books as we know them. (22:39)

Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

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32 min
June 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 week, our economics editor Kate Andrews argues that the prime minister and his party have lost their ideological bearings. She joins the podcast, together with Spectator columnist Matthew Parris, who remembers the last time price caps were implemented and writes about it in his column.

We also take a look at the experience of being addicted to meth. What is it like, and is it possible to turn your life around after that? The translator Eva Gaida has managed it, and writes powerfully about her experience in this week’s issue. She’s joined by drugs counsellor and Spectator World contributor, Kevin Dahlgren.

And finally, have the Irish lost their famous sense of humour? Melanie McDonagh writes that ‘the country of the fighting Irish, the drinking Irish, the self-deprecating humorous Irish, has turned into a kind of parody of liberal authoritarianism’. She joins the podcast now, together with Irish comedian and impressionist Oliver Callan.

Presented by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.

Produced by Cindy Yu.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

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39 min
May 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 tribute to his friend Jeremy Clarke, The Spectator’s much-missed Low Life columnist who sadly passed away earlier this week. David is joined by Cass Pennant and Freddy Gray, The Spectator’s deputy editor, to remember the life and writing of Jeremy Clarke. (12:52)

And finally:

The Spectator’s deputy features editor Gus Carter writes this week about the curious business of fertility. He is joined by Nimco Ali co-founder and CEO of The Five Foundation. (27:06)

Presented by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
39 min
May 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 vacant jobs. To make his case, Fraser joins us alongside our economics editor Kate Andrews. (01:04)

Also this week:

Novelist Elif Shafak writes about the Turkish elections in the diary for this week’s magazine. Ultranationalism and religious fundamentalism were the real winners in last Sunday’s poll. To tell us all about it. Elif joins us alongside Spectator contributor Owen Matthews. (23:18)

And finally:

Is reality television ruining sport? The Spectator’s online editor Tom Goodenough writes in this week’s magazine about how a new trend of TV shows following sports teams is taking the joy away for fans. To explain, Tom joins us alongside our deputy editor Freddy Gray. (34:24)

Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.

Produced by Max Jeffery.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

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45 min
May 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 The National Interest. (01:00)

Also this week:

Journalist Andrew Watts interviews the Reverend Canon Dr Jason Bray, the Bishop of St Asaph’s ‘deliverance minister’, or the Anglican priest charged with exorcising evil spirits. They both join the podcast. (17:50).

And finally:

Author and journalist Sophia Money-Coutts writes about the British women opting for Danish sperm donors to conceive. She joins us on the show, along with Annemette Arndal Lauritzen, CEO of the European Sperm Bank. (34:07).

Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Natasha Feroze.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
47 min
May 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 the podcast alongside historian David Starkey, who is interviewed in the arts pages of The Spectator by Lynn Barber (01:10)

Also this week:

Sean Thomas writes about generational reparations, that is: whether families with murky pasts should pay compensation for their ancestors’ wrongdoings. He is joined by Professor Christine Kinealy, historian and author This Great Calamity: The Irish Famine 1845-52, to ask whether generational reparations are simply a token gesture (20:58).

And finally:

Journalist Yannic Rack writes about the battle to restore Britain's hedgerows in The Spectator. He is joined by Clive Matthew, hedgelayer and founder of the National Hedgelaying Society to learn about the art of hedgelaying (30:29).

Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
38 min
April 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 is joined by John McTernan, former political secretary to Tony Blair, to discuss the return of the Blairites (01:06).

Also this week:

The Spectator’s Russia correspondent Owen Matthews writes about Putin's three most prominent political prisoners. He joins the podcast alongside The Spectator’s assistant online editor Lisa Haseldine to consider the cost of speaking up against the regime (17:50).

And finally:

Damian Thompson, associate editor at The Spectator, writes this week about the rise of America’s Satanists. He is joined by Chaplain Leopold, who co-runs the Global Order of Satan UK, to debate the rifts in modern Satanism (28:41).

Hosted by William Moore.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
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44 min
April 20, 2023 Womb service: the politics of surrogacy
On this week's episode:

In her cover piece for The Spectator, journalist Louise Perry questions whether it is moral to separate a newborn child from their surrogate. She is joined by Sarah Jones, head of SurrogacyUK and five time surrogate mother, to debate the ethics of surrogacy (01:07).

Also this week:

In the books section of the magazine Olivia Potts reviews several recent books all of which seem to warn against the dangers of our food system and what we are eating. She is joined by Henry Dimbleby, author of Ravenous: How to Get Ourselves and Our Planet Into Shape, to ask if anything is safe to eat these days (14:29).

And finally:

Reverend Steve Morris speaks to modern day Holy Grail-hunters in The Spectator about their obsession with the search for the cup of Christ. He joins the podcast alongside Rat Scabies, Grail-hunter and drummer of the punk band The Dammed, to shed some light on the enduring appeal of the Holy Grail (26:50).

Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
37 min
April 13, 2023 The new elite: the rise of the progressive aristocracy
On the podcast this week:

In his cover piece for The Spectator, Adrian Wooldridge argues that meritocracy is under attack. He says that the traditional societal pyramid – with the upper class at the top and the lower class at the base – has been inverted by a new culture which prizes virtue over meritocracy. He joins the podcast alongside journalist and author of Chums: How a tiny caste of Oxford Tories took over the UK, Simon Kuper, to debate (01:04).

Also this week:

In the magazine, ad-man Paul Burke suggests how the Tories should respond to Labour’s attack adverts. Released last week, the adverts have caused a stir for attacking the Conservative's recent record on curbing child abuse, and accuses Rishi Sunak directly of negligence on the issue. Paul is joined by Carl Shoben, who leads strategic communications for Survation and was strategy director under Jeremy Corbyn (17:47).

And finally:

In the books section of the magazine Philip Hensher reviews Sarah Bakewell’s new book Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Thinking, Enquiry and Hope. Philip says that he admires the humanists of the past, and find them consistently kinder, more decent and generous than their contemporaries. Both Philip and Sarah join the podcast (31:34).

Hosted by Lara Prendergast.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
41 min

About The Edition

From the publisher's feed

Lara Prendergast and William Moore host weekly conversations with Spectator writers and friends of the magazine. Over a glass of wine, they dissect the biggest stories across news, politics and culture – and how they are covered in that week’s edition of The Spectator.