Best of the Spectator

Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman, Arabella Byrne, Alex Burghart & Lloyd Evans

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 Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coffee House Shots: has Zack Polanski proven more continuity than change?

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 natural next step for a party seeking to broaden its appeal, rather than the more radical change candidate he has been portrayed as across parts of the media.Polanski undoubtably achieved new heights for the party – Gorton & Denton was their first ever by-election win – but recent polls show them losing momentum, and the election of Andy Burnham as Labour leader is seen to have stunted their progress. What should Polanski do next?Produced by Henry Lloyd and Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Edition: ‘It’s a cesspool!’ — What’s going wrong in Britain’s universities?

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’ the subject. Has the sector lost its nerve?Also: Balding. Toby explains why he’s trying to talk his three sons out of hair transplants, while Angus and Lara weigh in on whether men vastly overestimate the importance of their hair on the dating market.Plus: is Indian the best cuisine? Angus argues it’s surprisingly hard to find a truly great curry in London, while the the panel ask whethe Indian food is unfairly low-status because it’s too cheap.Produced by Henry Lloyd and Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americano: is America ready for the new realities of war?

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 critical supply chains, the vulnerability of energy infrastructure and shipping, the strategic threat posed to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, and why missile defence may be losing its long-standing race against missile technology. Steve also speaks to Freddy about the future of autonomous warfare, including the development of AI-powered drones capable of making decisions on the battlefield.Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold, at Monetary-Metals.com/Americano Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quite right!: Simon Sebag Montefiore explains the making of the modern Middle East

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 made these leaders so successful – and why did so many of their projects end in dictatorship, war or collapse?They also discuss Nasser’s rise as the champion of Arab nationalism, Gaddafi’s obsession with his Egyptian hero, and the strongmen who tried to remake the Arab world in their own image.And looking at the Middle East today, Simon explains why the legacy of the Ottoman Empire, the failure of nationalism and the rise of political Islam still shape the region’s conflicts.Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Henry Lloyd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.