Best of the Spectator

Ed Balls is an acclaimed broadcaster, writer, economist, professor and former politician who served as shadow chancellor from 2011 to 2015. On the podcast, he tells Lara and Liv about the importance of Sunday lunches growing up, his long history of making bespoke children's birthday cakes and the times he turned his campaign team into a makeshift kitchen staff. All this and more is documented in his new book Appetite, out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, Christina Lamb reads her letter from Kabul about the situation on the ground under the new Taliban control (00:56). Simon Clarke makes the case for Covid boosters (06:19). And Hannah Moore talks about the horrors of so-called 'American' sweet shops in the West End (15:18). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode: why is the Prime Minister so desperate to support the assetocracy? In The Spectator’s cover story this week, after Boris Johnson revealed his plan to pay for social care with a National Insurance increase, Fraser Nelson says there has been an inversion of the welfare state. It is right to ask the working poor to pay more taxes to help cover the social care of people who could easily fund it themselves? Kate Andrews, The Spectator’s economics editor, joins Fraser to discuss. (00:47)Plus, why is our knowledge of Soviet atrocities so poor? Attempting to fix this, James Bartholomew has been interviewing and recording the stories of survivors of Soviet oppression and torture. In the magazine this week, he tells a few of these stories, but also asks the question: why is it acceptable, or even trendy, to declare yourself a communist? James discusses his project with Konstantin Kisin, a Russian born comic and host of the Triggernometry podcast whose family lived under a Soviet regime. (16:18)And finally, why does London have so many American sweet shops? Some of London’s busiest streets are host to them, taking up prime real estate in the capital. Hannah Moore writes about her confusion with this phenomenon in this week’s Spectator. She joins Lara along with food trend expert Shokofeh Hejazi. (26:46)Hosted by Lara PrendergastProduced by Sam Holmes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam's guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is the writer Oliver Burkeman. His new book 4,000 Weeks offers some bracing reflections on time: how much we have of it, how best to use it, and why “time management” and productivity gurus have the whole thing upside down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are the Chinese religious? The government’s treatment of Christians and particularly Muslims have been under scrutiny in recent years. But these religious groups only form around 4 per cent of the Chinese population, according to national surveys. So what do the other 96pc believe in?The CCP is famously atheist, but that doesn’t mean the society is faithless. Even today, most Han families, including Cindy Yu's, still sweep the tombs of our ancestors and burn paper money (and these days paper cars and paper iPhones) for their use in the afterlife.In particular, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism have grown together, over the centuries, to provide what the Chinese call ‘sanjiao heyi’ – three teachings harmonious as one, and these continue to influence Chinese life. Growing up, Cindy never knew which part of my temple visit belonged to which faith. One social scientist has described Chinese faith as ‘an empty bowl, which can be variously filled’.On this episode of Chinese Whispers, we’ll be taking a look at what the three teachings teach, and how, in modern China, they've perhaps become more cultural than religious.Joining Cindy on this podcast is Mark Meulenbeld, Associate Professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, who is an expert on Chinese folk religion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Texas's controversial new 'heartbeat' law seemingly left unchallenged by the Supreme Court the abortion debate is hotting up in the States yet again. Will this success lead the pro-life movement to attempt to get similar laws on the books in other states? Freddy Gray talks to Mairead Elordi, an investigative journalist for the Daily Wire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, Kate Andrews argues that the government's social care reform plans simply don't add up (00:55). Mary Wakefield makes the case for church doors to reopen (06:55) and Caroline Crampton reviews Tom Chivers's new book, London Clay (13:25). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode: should animal lives be considered as valuable as human lives? It’s often said that Britain is a country of animal lovers, but have we taken it too far? Pen Farthing’s evacuation has shown how some people value animal lives more than human lives. William Moore writes our cover piece this week, arguing that the public outcry is emblematic of our faith-like approach to animal rights in Britain. He joins the podcast together with the FT's Henry Mance, author of How to Love Animals. (00:50)Plus, will the government’s proposed tax reforms solve the crisis in social care? In this week’s issue, Kate Andrews argues that instead of solving the crisis in care, the plans will only worsen intergenerational inequality. To discuss, Kate joins the podcast with Steve Webb, a pensions expert who was formerly a Lib Dem minister in the Coalition. (13:00)And finally, what are the benefits of having godparents in this secular age? Although she never wanted children of her own, Fiona Mountford writes in this week’s Spectator that she knew she always wanted godchildren. Why? Fiona joins the podcast, together with Mary Killen, the Spectator’s Dear Mary columnist. (24:00) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Leith's guest on this week’s podcast is the biographer and critic Hermione Lee. Her biography of Tom Stoppard is newly out in paperback, and she tells Sam about the decade of work behind Sir Tom’s overnight success, his unexpected influences, and the challenge to a biographer of getting to the heart of this elusive genius. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Stebbings is an acclaimed food director and photographer. On the podcast, he tells Lara and Liv about taking photographing M&S's melt in the middle chocolate puddings, treating himself to baked beans and red wine and measuring mayonnaise from a syringe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.