Best of the Spectator

Freddy Gray, The Spectator’s deputy editor, speaks to former Pentagon official, and the author of The Strategy of Denial, Elbridge Colby about the risk of nuclear war with Russia:‘I’m very suspicious of the ability to control the escalation.’ – Elbridge ColbyMark Galeotti, a Spectator contributor and the director of Mayak Intelligence, joins Elbridge, and says we ned to get tougher with Putin. On the rest of the show, our politics team James Forsyth and Katy Balls discuss Truss’s speech at the Conservative party conference, our economics editor Kate Andrews and Mark Littlewood, the director general of the Institute of Economic Affairs, look at whether Trussonomics is doomed already, and our columnist Rod Liddle explains how he gave up smoking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week: Kate Andrews laments how Truss is hurting the free-market cause (00:51), Anthony Whitehead explains the 'arrogance' of the latest environmental activist movement the Tyre Extinguishers (06:42) and Michael Simmons reads his notes on barcodes (12:54).Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Freddy speaks to Madeleine Kearns, staff writer at the National Review, about President Joe Biden's decree that cannabis possession should no longer be a federal crime. Is this a vote winner or will the decision end in disaster?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justine Roberts is the CEO and founder of Mumsnet. A website that makes parents’ lives easier by pooling knowledge, advice and support on everything from baby names, and household tips, to who they’re voting for in the next election. On the podcast, Justine talks about being a young girl from Surrey, mad about Liverpool football club and spending her years at Oxford University on the sports field. She worked as an investment banker and journalist before having a light-bulb moment on holiday with her one-year-old, which inspired the inception of Mumsnet. Produced by Matt Taylor and Natasha Feroze.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's podcast: As Liz Truss returns from Conservative Party Conference with her wings clipped, has she failed in her revolutionary aims for the party?James Forsyth discusses this in the cover piece for The Spectator, and is joined by former cabinet minister and New Labour architect Peter Mandelson to discuss (01:08).Also this week: Is it time that the West got tough with Putin?Mark Galeotti writes in this week's magazine about the likely scenarios should Putin make good on his thermonuclear threats. He is joined by Elisabeth Braw, fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, to consider how the West should respond (13:14).And finally:Anthony Whitehead writes about the 'arrogance' of the Tyre Extinguisher movement in The Spectator this week, a new environmental activist organisation letting down the tyres on SUVs all around the world. He speaks to Tusk, one such 'extinguisher' about the motivations and aims of these activists (25:07). Hosted by Lara Prendergast and William Moore. Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Peter Stothard, whose new book Crassus: The First Tycoon tells the story of the third man in Rome’s great triumvirate: landlord, power-broker, Spartacus’s nemesis and leader of a hubristic expedition to the east that was to see his glorious career end in bitter failure.Image © Teri Pengilley Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Fraser Nelson and guests as they assess the West’s ability to deter conflict and defend its interests, and discuss how the UK’s armed forces can harness innovation to retain its edge against newer, technological threats.With James Heappey, Minister of State for the Armed Forces and Veterans; Dr Liam Fox, former Secretary of State for Defence; Professor Michael Clarke, visiting professor in the department of war studies, King’s College London; and Louis Mosley, head of Palantir's London office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz Truss has spoken about an axis of liberty becoming the basis of Britain’s foreign policy. The Aukus alliance is a cornerstone of new security architecture. Join The Spectator’s Cindy Yu and special guests as they explore what this means, what’s to come, and whether the alliance is an effective basis for containing China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the NHS turns 74, the service has never been under so much strain. The pandemic has created record waiting lists of almost seven million in England alone. Every month, tens of thousands of accident and emergency patients are left to wait for more than 12 hours with ambulances queuing up outside. Other long-term challenges such as an ageing population are coming to a head. On this podcast, Isabel Hardman, The Spectator’s, assistant editor and her guests take a look back at the history of the NHS to talk about what the service was founded for, and why it is in crisis now. Isabel is joined by a panel of specialists; Alan Milburn, the former secretary of state for health from 1999 to 2003; Anne Milton, former minister for health from 2010-2015, and deputy chief whip for the Conservative party; and Philip Schwab, Abbvie’s regional director for government affairs in Europe. This podcast is kindly sponsored by Abbvie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Chinese Whispers, we look ahead to the 20th National Party Congress, where senior members will gather to review the future direction of the party and unveil new leaders. What should China-watchers expect? Will Xi be able to fill the standing committee with those loyal to him?To discuss this important moment in the communist calendar is author of the Sinocism substack Bill Bishop and Professor Victor Shih, expert in Chinese elite politics and author of the new book Coalitions of the Weak. If you enjoy this podcast, you can now register your interest for an upcoming Chinese Whispers newsletter, at www.spectator.co.uk/whispers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.