Best of the Spectator

Dame Sarah Mullally has been enthroned as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the first female head of the Church of England. Prince William attended as the representative of the Monarch and – as heir to the throne – the person who will one day become Supreme Governor of the Church. His attendance came a few days after an interview appeared in The Times where Prince William seemed to be pressing 'reset' on his relationship with faith. Friend of Holy Smoke, The Daily Mail’s Robert Hardman – author of the forthcoming biography Elizabeth II. In Private. In Public. The Inside Story – and Anglican priest The Rev'd Fergus Butler-Gallie, join Damian Thompson to discuss the Prince's faith, what the enthronement ceremony tells us about the current state of the Church of England – and what we can expect from Mullally's era.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Goodman, Conservative peer and former editor, outlines coalition hurdles. Victoria Atkins, Conservative MP and policy-focused minister, pushes pragmatic platform-building. David Davis, veteran MP and ex-minister, warns that deals risk independence. Daniel Hannan, Conservative peer and long-time commentator, urges a targeted electoral pact to maximise right‑of seats. They debate timing, tactics and practical limits.

Ava Santina-Evans, politics editor at Politics Joe, offers on-the-ground analysis of polling and party shifts. Rachel Johnson, Spectator Life columnist, brings cultural and lighter commentary. Angus Colwell, Spectator columnist, unpacks the Greens’ move toward eco‑populism. They debate the Green surge, Gaza and foreign‑policy activism, party tensions, net‑zero and energy debates, and public displays of religion and their political fallout.

Stefan Fatsis, author and journalist best known for Word Freak and Unabridged, describes how immersive reporting led him into the competitive Scrabble world. He explores how tournament play differs from casual games, the rise of computers and bots, memorable players and plays, ongoing dictionary disputes, and how Scrabble became a family passion.

A debate over public prayer, free speech and how faith is shown in shared spaces. Tensions about whether visible religious rituals signal domination or simple devotion. Discussion of legal and cultural responses, from prayer calls to slaughter rules. Political caution and electoral incentives shaping how these issues are handled in Britain.

Eric Lob, associate professor of politics at Florida International University and scholar of Iranian politics and Shia Islam, gives a concise tour of Shia martyrdom. He traces Karbala and Ashura rituals. He explains how the Islamic Republic has used martyr narratives, reactions to Khamenei's killing, polling challenges, secular trends, and possible political outcomes.

Philip Hensher, novelist and critic, reflects on Alan Bennett's late diaries and lost dramatic archive. Mary Wakefield, journalist, inspects Tower Hamlets life and critiques Keir Starmer's cohesion plan. Ruaridh Nicoll, reporter in Havana, reads a first-person letter about blackouts, scarcity and the effects of an oil blockade. Short, vivid pieces on culture, politics and daily struggle.

Freddy Gray speaks to James D. Boys, author of the new book US grand strategy and the madman theory. He is also a senior research fellow at UCL. They discuss the origins of the madman theory – which applies insights from psychology to understand how your enemies think. James covers it from from Nixon to Trump and its intellectual home in Boston. They also explore how the madman theory is being applied in the Middle East conflict and how regularly the theory can be misapplied. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Bew, historian and foreign-policy adviser to multiple prime ministers, outlines Britain’s ‘fourth great disruption’ and its historical echoes. He traces past national reforms, argues for disciplined planning, and weighs defence, economic limits and the need for political trade-offs. Short, vivid reflections on how Britain might renegotiate its place in the world.

Jo Coburn, Times Radio broadcaster offering sharp political analysis. James Heale, deputy political editor at The Spectator covering party strategy. Charles Moore, Spectator chairman and columnist on politics and foreign policy. They debate whether Nigel Farage truly seeks the premiership, Reform's governing contradictions, ties to Trump, electoral maths and youth voting, UK defence shortfalls and the future of the BBC.