Best of the Spectator

Ash Regan is the MSP for East Edinburgh who has served as minister for community safety. Since Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation, she has put herself forward to be the next First Minister for Scotland. Born in Biggar, Ash moved to England as a child and grew up in Devon. She surprised her family during the referendum for Scottish Independence, deciding she would vote to leave. Ash began her foray into politics as a campaigner before running for elected office. She was little known outside of the Holyrood bubble until she quit as community safety minister over plans to allow people to self-identify their gender.On the podcast, Ash talks about life before politics; the challenges of the campaign trail; her plans for an independent Scotland, and why she voted against the Gender Recognition Act.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the podcast:The Spectator's economics editor Kate Andrews looks back on a week of economic turbulence and asks whether we should be worried, for her cover piece in the magazine. She is joined by the economist – and former 'Trussketeer' – Julian Jessop, to discuss whether we are entering a new era of economic uncertainty (01:06).Also this week:In the magazine, The Spectator’s deputy features editor Gus Carter says that the culture of toxic masculinity has gone too far, and that young men are being marginalised in schools and online as they are repeatedly told that they are a danger to women. He is joined by the Times columnist Hugo Rifkind, to explore how today's sexual politics is impacting young men (13:21).And finally:In the books section of the magazine, Philip Hensher reviews Oliver Soden’s new biography of the actor, writer, singer and playwright Noel Coward. Oliver joins the podcast alongside regular Spectator contributor Alexander Larman to consider Coward's life and legacy (27:44). Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Leith's guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is the writer and editor Ian Buruma, to talk about his new book Collaborators: Three Stories of Deception and Survival in World War Two. A Chinese princess who climbed into bed with Japanese nationalist gangsters; an observant Jew who sold his co-religionists to the Nazis; and Himmler’s personal masseur. Ian describes how their stories link and resonate, and how murky morality gets in a time where truth loses its meaning altogether.Produced by Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winston speaks with Twitter files journalist David Zweig just as the Twitter files scandal goes to congress. They discuss the significance of the hearing, Big Tech/government censorship, what he uncovered when working on the story, the failure of journalists and government during Covid, myocarditis, mask-efficiency, and the link between free speech and bodily autonomy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor is a features writer and columnist for the Daily Telegraph where she writes the the regular food column The Art of Friday Night Dinner. Her new book – of the same name – is released on the 30th March and includes recipes for every kind of Friday night. On the podcast she reminisces about her mother's famous tomato sauce, takes us through her perfect Friday night and explains why she has always loved gathering friends around the kitchen table.(Photo credit: Sophie Davidson) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freddy Gray The Spectator’s deputy editor speaks to Andrew Cockburn and Danielle Lee Tomson about the battle for the American right – who will win out of Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump? Also on the show, Katy Balls looks at the Home Secretary’s plans to stop migrant crossings; Ann Törnkvist on Swedish gang violence; Mary Wakefield debates Mary Dejevsky on whether cyclists should be allowed on pavements and Francesca Peacock talks about the politics of corsets. 00:00 Welcome from Freddy Gray02:54 Who will win the American right? With Andrew Cockburn and Danielle Lee Tomson23:44 Is Suella Braverman in trouble over the illegal migrant bill? With Katy Balls31:16 Why has Sweden become so violent? With Ann Tornkvist44:24 Should cyclists be allowed on pavements? With Mary Wakefield and Mary Dejevsky 56:20 Are corsets cancelled? With Francesca Peacock Theme song written and performed by Jon Barker © 2020 Jonathan Stewart Barker Publisher Jonathan Stewart Barker 100%, administered by prsformusic.comRecording © 2020 Jonathan Stewart Barker 100%, administered by ppl.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: James Heale asks whether the cabinet secretary Simon Case can carry on (01:00), Cosmo Landesman tells the story of when a man – and his axe – came to visit his home in London (05:03), and Miranda Morrison warns against the damaging obsession with STEM in secondary schools (11:10). Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson. Photo Credit: © The Estate of Tom Picton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freddy Gray speaks to Shawn McCreesh, a features writer at New York Magazine who recently spent time with Republican Congressman, George Santos. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the cover piece of this week's magazine, deputy editor Freddy Gray writes about the fight for the American right: it's Don (Trump) vs Ron (DeSantis). Who will win? On the podcast, Freddy is joined by Amber Athey, Washington editor of The Spectator's world edition. (00:37)Political editor Katy Balls writes in this week's magazine that small boats are a big election issue. Rishi Sunak has promised to stop the illegal crossings, but what will it cost him? Katy is on the podcast with Spectator contributor Patrick O'Flynn. (10:49)And finally, would you let a man with an axe into your house for the sake of art? Cosmo Landesman's father did, and he writes about it in the magazine's arts pages this week. Cosmo joins the podcast with Igor Toronyi-Lalic, The Spectator's arts editor, to talks about destructive art. (20:28)Presented by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Max Jeffery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Book Club podcast, my guest is Sara Wheeler, who looks back on her travelling life in Glowing Still: A Woman's Life on the Road. She tells me why it's 'a book about tits and toilets', as well as a meditation on the past and future of travel writing and a lament for the books – in one case thanks to having children and the other to the modern fatwa on 'cultural appropriation' – she didn't get to write. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.