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The Edition

By: The Spectator
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  • Summary

  • 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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Episodes
  • Keir's reformation: Labour's radical plans

    Keir's reformation: Labour's radical plans
    Jul 11 2024
    This week: Keir’s reformation. A week on from Labour’s victory in the UK general election, our cover piece looks ahead to the urgent issues facing Keir Starmer. If he acts fast, he can take advantage of having both a large majority and a unified party. The NHS, prisons, planning… the list goes on. But what challenges could he face and how should he manage his party? The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls joins the podcast, alongside Lord Falconer, Labour peer and former cabinet minister under Tony Blair (2:53).

    Next: have smartphones revolutionised home working for women? Our very own Lara Prendergast writes in the magazine this week about the eclectic ways women are taking advantage of digital technology to make a living at home. What’s driving this trend? The Spectator columnist and ad guru Rory Sutherland joins the podcast (26:08).

    And finally: why did the Conservatives struggle so much with their digital messaging? The Spectator’s Mary Wakefield writes in the magazine this week about the emails and messages she was inundated with during the election, saying that at times they had ‘serial killer energy’. Political communicator Sean Topham, co-founder of the creative ad agency Topham Guerin, joins the podcast to try and make sense of the Tories campaign (37:40).

    Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.

    Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.
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    48 mins
  • The reckoning: it's payback time for voters

    The reckoning: it's payback time for voters
    Jul 4 2024
    This week: the reckoning. Our cover piece brings together the political turmoil facing the West this week: Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, and Joe Biden all face tough tests with their voters. But what’s driving this instability? The Spectator’s economics editor Kate Andrews argues it is less to do with left and right, and more a problem of incumbency, but how did this situation arise? Kate joined the podcast to discuss her argument, alongside former Cambridge Professor, John Keiger, who writes in the magazine about the consequences that France’s election could have on geopolitics (2:32).

    Next: what role does faith play in politics? Senior editor at the religious journal First Things Dan Hitchens explores Keir Starmer’s atheism in the magazine this week, but to what extent does it matter? What impact could it have on his politics? As the UK has an established Church, what implications could there be for our constitution? Dan joined the podcast, along with Father Marcus Walker of Great St Bart’s, to discuss whether politicians can in fact ‘do god’ (17:45).

    And finally: how do we interpret sexuality within Shakespeare’s works? Author and professor of creative writing Philip Hensher reviews a new book by Will Tosh in the magazine this week, which examines same-sex attraction within his works. But what can they tell us about the environment at the time, and about the man himself? Philip joined us to discuss alongside Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford (28:34).

    Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.

    Join The Spectator next week for a special live recording of Coffee House Shots as Fraser Nelson, Katy Balls and Kate Andrews make sense of the UK’s election aftermath. Taking place on Thursday 11th July at 7pm in Westminster, tickets are £35, or £25 for subscribers. Book online at spectator.co.uk/shotslive
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    38 mins
  • Downfall: how Nigel Farage became the left's greatest weapon

    Downfall: how Nigel Farage became the left's greatest weapon
    Jun 27 2024
    This week: Downfall. Our cover piece examines Nigel Farage’s role in the UK general election. Spectator editor Fraser Nelson argues that Farage has become the left’s greatest weapon, but why? How has becoming leader of Reform UK impacted the campaign and could this lead to a fundamental realignment of British politics? Fraser joined the podcast to talk through his theory, with former UKIP MEP Patrick O’Flynn (02:10).

    Next: Spectator writer Svitlana Morenets has returned to Ukraine to report on the war, which is now well into its third year. How are Ukrainians coping and what is daily life like? Svitlana joined the podcast from Kyiv with Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov (21:53).

    And finally: has ‘cancel culture’ been cancelled? With the release of TV series Douglas Is Cancelled, its creator Steven Moffat joins the podcast to discuss whether cancel culture really exists and where the inspiration for the show came from (33:15).

    Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.

    Produced by Patrick Gibbons, Megan McElroy and Oscar Edmondson.

    Join The Spectator for a special Live edition of Coffee House Shots on Thursday 11th July at 7pm in Westminster. Fraser Nelson, Katy Balls and Kate Andrews will be making sense of the election results, a new government, and discussing what comes next. Tickets are £35, or £25 for subscribers. Book online at spectator.co.uk/shotslive
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    44 mins
Politics & Government Social Sciences
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