The Edition

For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s associate editor and director of the Free Speech Union Toby Young, journalist and author Esther Walker, and Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens.

This week: the men on the spectrum who rule the world. Charles Steel writes in the magazine about the wealthy, obsessive and often unconventional figures who increasingly shape politics and technology – from Elon Musk to the crypto billionaire Ben Delo. Is autism a useful way of understanding these men or has society become too obsessed with diagnosing people? Toby argues that traits such as hyper-focus and an indifference to what others think can be an advantage in competitive professions, while Peter dismisses our enthusiasm for putting people on ‘spectrums’ altogether. And, as tech leaders issue increasingly apocalyptic warnings about artificial intelligence, should we take them seriously or be suspicious of calls for greater regulation?

Also: should parents really be worried about the ‘manosphere’? Esther argues that the moral panic surrounding online influencers such as Andrew Tate is already out of date. Teenage boys, she says, are perfectly capable of recognising when misogyny is being used as a business model – and many are more interested in mocking influencers than following them. But with ‘looksmaxxing’, bodybuilding and increasingly extreme attempts at self-improvement taking off online, are boys becoming more like the teenage girls of previous generations?

Plus: Peter reveals why he has fallen out of love with America – and in love with Canada, while Toby marks 35 years since the launch of the Modern Review.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
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William Moore is joined by The Spectator's economics editor Michael Simmons, The Spectator's commissioning editor and writer at large Tali Fraser, and the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party Alex Burghart MP.

This week: has Labour stopped just stopping oil? Michael reveals that ministers are expected to approve the Jackdaw gas field within days, while Rosebank is held back until after the by-election in Keir Starmer's old seat – and asks whether a party whose last energy secretary called the project 'climate vandalism' has really changed its mind, or has just found a half measure it can live with.

Also: is Britain about to get a new social order? Tali examines the socio-economic duty, a dormant clause of the Equality Act that Labour now plans to switch on, requiring public bodies to weigh social background in every decision they make. The panel discuss what that would mean for school admissions, NHS waiting lists and potholes. Is this equality of outcome by the back door – or simply a charter for lawyers?

Plus: after 900 years, is the Bayeux Tapestry worth the wait?

Produced by Henry Lloyd.
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Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, columnist and journalist Melanie McDonagh, and the Daily Mail’s parliamentary sketchwriter Quentin Letts.
This week: has Reform UK lost its magic? Ahead of the party’s conference, Tim reveals its plans for the first 100 days of a Reform government – and asks whether Nigel Farage can persuade voters that his party is ready to govern after a turbulent summer.
Also: what is happening in Middlesbrough? The panel discuss rising gang violence, the decline of visible policing and a generation of young men who appear increasingly indifferent to the law. Is social breakdown to blame – or has Britain simply lost its respect for authority?
Plus: what can Britain learn from Norway’s royals?
Produced by Henry Lloyd and Oscar Edmondson.
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Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator’s economics editor Michael Simmons, author and critic Philip Hensher, and comedian and co-host if the Triggernometry podcast Frances Foster.
This week: are good teachers under siege? The panel discuss Michael Gove’s cover story on the education establishment, from collapsing classroom discipline to the ‘pathetically low ambition’ of those training Britain’s teachers.
Also: have accusations of bullying become a weapon against demanding ministers? Michael Simmons comes to the defence of his former teacher, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth, while Philip asks whether the real problem is that civil servants are simply too difficult to sack.
Plus: Harry and Meghan are back in Britain. Has the public’s fascination with the Sussexes ever really gone away – and do they deserve a chance at redemption?
Produced by Henry Lloyd, Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

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William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, commissioning editor Tali Fraser and actress Maureen Lipman.
This week: has the West lost the will to defend itself? The panel discuss the threats posed by China, Russia and Islamism – and whether Western societies have become too reluctant to defend their own values. Maureen also warns about the rise of antisemitism, arguing that universities are ‘grooming’ a generation of anti-Semites.
Also: Tali reports back from a screening of Chris Packham’s People’s Emergency Briefing. Has environmental campaigning become too patronising – and are politicians forcing through policies they have failed to persuade the public to support?
Plus: can James Bond survive modern Britain?

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.

For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.

Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk

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