Best of the Spectator The Edition: Britain’s guilty men, Labour’s reset & do people care about ICE more than Iran?
Jan 30, 2026
Arabella Byrne, Life editor and writer on culture and parenting; Douglas Murray, columnist and commentator on politics and law; Freddy Gray, deputy editor and US politics analyst. They debate who shapes Britain’s foreign policy and the fallout from the Chagos deal. They weigh Labour’s reset and Reform’s risks. They also explore why visual media makes ICE protests more visible than Iran and chat about phones, parenting and alcohol culture.
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Unelected Advisors Shape Foreign Policy
- Michael Gove's cover argues unelected legal and security figures steer UK foreign policy away from national interest.
- Freddy Gray warns this prioritises international law over strategic sovereignty, exemplified by the Chagos decision.
Powell's Personal Ties To Sinn Féin
- Douglas Murray recalls Jonathan Powell inviting Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness to his wedding as evidence of troubling closeness.
- He uses this to question the price Britain paid in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Britain's Habit Of Giving Away Strategic Assets
- Douglas says Britain uniquely sacrifices strategic assets to set moral examples, citing the Chagos deal.
- He argues other powers would never give up vital islands, exposing Britain's self-expiatory posture.
