Fire at Will

The start of a new government sets a tone that is often difficult to change. And the tone of Keir Starmer’s first 100 days has been dire, reinforcing a feeling of malaise across the United Kingdom. To help with his first report card, Will is joined by David Frost, a Conservative member of the House of Lords and previously the Europe adviser to Boris Johnson and his Chief Negotiator for Exiting the EU in 2019 and 2020.Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.

There are many things that are depressing about the modern culture wars, but none more so than the war on the past. There is a concerted, fierce and increasingly successful effort to not just make us ashamed of our history, but to disconnect us from it entirely.How did this war start, and more importantly, how can it be won by defenders of Western civilisation? To answer these questions, Will is joined by sociologist, author, and commentator Frank Furedi. Frank’s new book is titled, “The War on the Past: Why the West Must Fight for its History.”Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.

In some respects, October 7 and the events that have followed is the continuation of a story that is almost as old as time itself. But in many others, the conflict, and the response to it, has been a reflection of our times.Identity politics, the loss of confidence in western civilisation, the ideological capture of our institutions, the corruption of the media, and the self-flagellating instinct to atone for the sins of the past can all be seen in the response to October 7. There has been no one better in the world at analysing this conflict through the prism of our contemporary culture than Brendan O’Neill. His new book is titled, “After the Pogrom: 7 October, Israel, and the Crisis of Western Civilisation.”Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.

There is a feeling of pessimism in the UK at present, and it seems to be getting worse each day under the Starmer regime. A sense that the country has forgotten who it is. A feeling of helplessness that things are getting worse. And a rage that leaders on both sides of politics just don’t seem to care.Calvin Robinson has, sadly, said enough is enough. With a heavy heart the popular priest and broadcaster moved from his home in England to the US earlier this month. In this conversation with Will, he explains why.Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.

For many voters, the upcoming US election isn’t really about the border, or the deficit, or guns, or healthcare, or abortion. As many pundits have now suggested, it’s about the vibes.  It raises an unsettling question: does policy even matter anymore? Is the spin more important than the substance? There’s no one better to answer that question than the Chairman and Co-Founder of Purple Strategies, a bipartisan public affairs firm, Alex Castellanos. Alex is one of the America’s best known and most successful media consultants and strategists. He has served as media consultant to seven U.S. Presidential campaigns, and has been credited with the discovery of the “political soccer mum” and called the father of the attack ad.Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.

Comic and GB News Host Nick Dixon was on the show a few weeks ago. He returned the favour by inviting Will on his podcast, "The Current Thing," last week. This podcasting pyramid scheme turned out rather well – it was a fun conversation covering the US election, the latest Churchill controversy, and the Starmergeddon facing Britain. Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.Follow "The Current Thing" here.

Talking about Islam is a dangerous business, but talk about it we must. The West is facing a civilisational moment, and tensions between Islamism and Western liberal democracy may well determine its future. Joining Will in these murky waters is GB News Presenter and the founder of the online video platform Reasoned, Darren Grimes.Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.Subscribe to Reasoned here.

Free speech is under attack all over the Western world, but the assault may be the most sinister in the United Kingdom. Keir Starmer's authoritarian regime seems intent on chipping away at civil liberties until very few remain standing.To discuss the state of free speech in the UK today, Will is joined by journalist, commentator, and the Founder of the Free Speech Union, Toby Young.Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.Join the FSU here.

It's easy to say that "woke ideology" is a nonsense. It's much harder to say that when your job, your social status, or your friendships may be put at risk by doing so. We need a practical, principled approach to fighting back against wokeism. Enter Helen Pluckrose. Helen is a political and cultural author and speaker. She is the co-author of ‘Cynical Theories’, which was book of the year in The Times, Sunday Times and Financial Times. Her latest book, 'The Counterweight Handbook,' is a practical guide to help you survive and defeat critical social justice at school, at work, and beyond.Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.

The United Kingdom is a great country. It’s arguably contributed more to the flourishing of Western civilization than any other. Which is why recent events have left many people heartbroken. Racially and culturally motivated riots have erupted on British streets, met with a two-tiered policing and judicial response, a crackdown on free speech, and an awful sense that the next five years could see the country change beyond recognition. At the same time, the United Kingdom has faced dark moments before, and triumphed. Will it do so once again? To help Will answer that question, he is joined by GB News presenter and the co-host of The Weekly Skeptic podcast, Nick Dixon.Please leave Fire at Will a rating and a review in your favourite podcast app!Follow Will Kingston and Fire at Will on social media here.Read The Spectator Australia here.