The Spectator Podcast

Hear Katy Balls on the long term impact of the Cummings affair; Dr John Lee on the problem with the way we are counting Covid deaths; and Lionel Shriver on how life isn't worth living without a little risk.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here.

In this week's Book Club podcast we're talking about Brideshead Revisited. Evelyn Waugh's great novel is 75 years old this week, and I'm joined by our chief critic Philip Hensher, and by the novelist's grandson (and general editor of Oxford University Press's complete Evelyn Waugh) Alexander Waugh. What made the novel so pivotal in Waugh's career, what did it mean to the author and how did he revise it -- and why have generations of readers, effectively, misread it?The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here.

It's not just coronavirus, but the government is keen to have a new approach to China. We discuss what this entails and whether or not it's a good idea (00:50). Plus, what will be the lasting impact of the Cummings affair on the government? (17:16) And last, the way to deal with noisy neighbours now that people are working from home (34:00).With our Political Editor James Forsyth; former Cabinet minister Sir Oliver Letwin; our Deputy Political Editor Katy Balls; Conservative Home's Paul Goodman; Spectator columnist Melissa Kite; and our 'Dear Mary' columnist and Gogglebox star Mary Killen.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

My guest for this week’s Book Club podcast is the great Michael Frayn, talking about his new book of sketches Magic Mobile, lockdown life, the joys and perils of technology, adapting Spies for the screen - and how his muse has changed as he gets older.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.Click here to try four weeks of the Spectator for free and get a free wireless charger.

With Amber Athey, Spectator USA's Washington Correspondent.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here.

On this week's Audio Reads, Douglas Murray advises Labour to get a new attack line, now that the Conservatives have become the party of the NHS. Professor Paul Dolan, a behavioural scientist at the LSE, ponders what would have happened had the pandemic started in Sweden, rather than China. And Andrew Watts says - if Brexit talks are scuppered because of fish, shouldn't Brits at least eat more of it?Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here.

Kate Forbes is an SNP MP and the Scottish Finance Secretary. She stepped in at the last minute when her predecessor, Derek MacKay, was suspended from the party on the day of the Budget. On the podcast, she talks about her international upbringing and how that relates to her nationalism, what it was like to step in for the Budget on that day, and how she squares her faith with politics.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here.Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls.

Brexit is back on the agenda, but this time, talks are even more difficult than the last phase (00:45). Plus, what do we understand about immunity, and how should that inform the lockdown policy (16:45)? And for a nation that bangs on about fish, do we eat enough of it (28:00)?With the Spectator's Political Editor James Forsyth; former Adviser on Europe to Theresa May Raoul Ruparel; Crick Institute scientist Rupert Beale; former Cabinet Minister Nicky Morgan; Spectator contributor Andrew Watts; and Pesky Fish founder Ben King.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.Get a month's free trial of The Spectator and a free wireless charger here.

John Williams is the ebullient Executive Chef at the Ritz. On the podcast, he talks to Lara and Livvy about breaking into the London fine dining scene as a boy from Tyneside, how the Ritz is as far from rustic as you can get, and his friendship with Margaret Thatcher, when she lived at the hotel in her last years.Click here to try a month of the Spectator for free and get a free wireless charger.Table Talk is a series of podcasts where Lara Prendergast and Olivia Potts talk to high profile guests about their life story, through the food and drink that has come to define it. Listen to past episodes here.

In this week's episode, the panel discuss the merits of treatment vs vaccine, American red tape, Hong Kong's fairly relaxed stance on new infections, and Italy running out of money.With Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli in Rome, former Italian Correspondent for Politico; Jennifer Creery in Hong Kong, Managing Editor of the Hong Kong Free Press; Nick Gillespie in New York, Editor at Large for Reason magazine.Presented by Kate Andrews.Click here to try four weeks of the Spectator for free and get a free wireless charger.Read the articles discussed in the episode here:Italy: https://www.thelocal.it/20200514/italys-new-poor-the-people-left-in-poverty-by-the-coronavirus-crisisHong Kong: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3084283/coronavirus-hong-kong-health-experts-doubt-newUSA: https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-backed-coronavirus-testing-program-stopped-by-fda-2020-5?r=US&IR=TUK: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/16/blood-thinning-drugs-can-help-save-covid-19-patients-lives/

In this week’s Book Club podcast Sam's guest is the writer and human rights lawyer Philippe Sands. His new book The Ratline: Love, Lies and Justice on the Trail of a Nazi Fugitive describes his painstaking quest to track down the real story of a Nazi genocidaire who fled justice into the murky underground society of postwar Italy. Philippe tells Sam about the strange world of shifting allegiances he uncovered, and his own no less shifting relationship with his subject’s son - who continued against all the evidence to believe his father was a good man.The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

On this week's Audio Reads, Swedish economist Fredrik Erixon reads his cover piece explaining how European nations are all flying blind in the pandemic. James Forsyth advocates a complete rewiring of the British state. And Leaf Arbuthnot, whose novel Looking For Eliza is released this week, extolls the joys of Zoom raves.

In this week's books podcast Sam is joined by Mark O'Connell, a writer whose latest book Notes from an Apocalypse: A Personal Journey to the End of the World and Back sees him investigate doomsday preppers, wannabe Mars colonists, the Ayn Rand billionaires buying up New Zealand, and the tourist route through Chernobyl. Why, he asks, is the apocalypse something we seem to fantasise about as much as fear?The Book Club is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here.

European countries all seem to be doing something different, so what are the lessons from the continent (00:45)? Plus, how the West's lockdown impacts the developing world in a very real way (13:05). And last, rediscovering the joy of driving on the country's empty roads (24:55).With economist Fredrik Erixon, the Economist's Anne McElvoy, Stanford Professor Jayanta Bhattacharya, Indian economist Ashwini Deshpande, writer Alexander Pelling-Bruce, and transport journalist Christian Wolmar.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.

With Matt Mayer, President of free market group Opportunity Ohio and contributor to Spectator USA.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

In this week's episode, the Coronomics panel discuss Hong Kong's reopening, lockdown confusion in the UK, the American unemployment nightmare, and the growing divides between northern and southern Italy. With Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli in Rome, former Italian Correspondent for Politico; Jennifer Creery in Hong Kong, Managing Editor of the Hong Kong Free Press; Nick Gillespie in New York, Editor at Large for Reason magazine.Presented by Kate Andrews.Read the articles discussed in the episode here:Italy: https://www.ft.com/content/6c2ad256-9452-4480-9d98-2444b07675d4?shareType=nongiftHong Kong: https://asiatimes.com/2020/05/hk-to-relax-social-distancing-rules-from-friday/USA: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-terrible-jobs-report-gets-worse-the-more-you-read-it/

Rory MacLean is a historian and travel writer. His latest book, Pravda Ha Ha, is out now. On the podcast, he talks to Lara and Livvy about how his mother was the inspiration for Ian Fleming's Miss Moneypenny, singing a duet with David Bowie, and the time he was taken to lunch by a Vietnamese drug lord.Table Talk is a series of podcasts where Lara Prendergast and Olivia Potts talk to high profile guests about their life story, through the food and drink that has come to define it. Listen to past episodes here.

This week, Douglas Murray writes on why we shouldn't be hugging China any closer; Nigel Farndale writes on why there's nothing morbid about obituaries; and Susan Hill on the lessons she's re-learnt from the pandemic.

The economic impact of coronavirus is already felt keenly by many people. A large chunk of the population is having to dig into its savings to cover for lost income. But what if you don't have much in the piggy bank in the first place? Often, the discipline to save gets overtaken by events. With two fifths of adults having less than £500 in savings, what can be done to encourage people to think about their lifetime savings more?With Mims Davies, Minister for Employment; Lord David Willetts, President of the Resolution Foundation; and Emma Watkins, Annuities Director at Scottish Widows.Presented by Katy Balls.This podcast is sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group.

The government is looking at easing the lockdown, but how much remains unknown about the coronavirus (00:40)? In the meantime, Joe Biden is batting off sexual assault allegations (10:15), and we take a look at the upside of lockdown for new parents (21:30).With science writer Matt Ridley, virologist Elisabetta Groppelli, Spectator USA editor Freddy Gray, host of the 'Democratically: 2020' podcast Karin Robinson, the Spectator's Assistant Editor Lara Prendergast, and Editor of the Times Literary Supplement Stig Abell.Presented by Cindy Yu.Produced by Cindy Yu and Gus Carter.