Best of the Spectator

With Katy Balls and Fraser Nelson.Presented by Lara Prendergast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Theresa May is putting the final touches on her Brexit deal – but is this a point to celebrate, or has she left behind an irrevocably toxic legacy (00:40)? We also take a look at the Democratic Party’s new darling – Beto O’Rourke (13:10); and last, are British parents too obsessed with their children’s education (26:00)?With James Forsyth, Lord Heseltine, Freddy Gray, Karin Robinson, Leah McLaren and James Delingpole.Presented by Isabel Hardman.Produced by Cindy Yu and Alastair Thomas; with thanks to Jack Hunter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's books podcast Sam talks to Oxford's Professor of Global History Peter Frankopan about his follow-up to his bestselling history The Silk Roads. In The New Silk Roads, Peter brings his story up to date, and argues that with our Trump and Brexit obsessions, and a divided and fissiparous West still obsessed with itself, we are missing the bigger picture of what's going on in the world today. Once again, the Silk Roads -- those lines of connection between East and West running through what he calls the "heart of the world" -- are where the action is. In our conversation we look at the rise of China and asks what its vast "Belt and Road" programme means for the future shape of the world, at the deeply complex relations between the Gulf states and the nations with interests in them, at the forces at work in India, Pakistan and Iran -- and why our school curricula need to go a bit beyond the old diet of Black Death, Mary Seacole and the Second World War. Plus, Peter's (almost) diplomatic about the enduring madness of Turkmenistan.Presented by Sam Leith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is nationalism, in Emmanuel Macron’s words, an ancient and modern cause of the ‘old demons’ of history? Or, as Yoram Hazony argues in his latest book, The Virtue of Nationalism, is the nation state the best way to preserve law and liberty?Yoram Hazony is an Israeli philosopher, the President of the Herzl Institute and a director at the John Templeton Foundation.Presented by Dominic Green. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.Presented by Katy Balls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lara and Livvy talk to Fraser Nelson about his hatred of desserts, how working in London made him a stranger in Glasgow, and wining and dining Westminster's political big dogs.Presented by Lara Prendergast and Olivia Potts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deputy National Security Advisor Mira Ricardel is forced out of her role after a public spat with Melania Trump. Is Melania more powerful than she seems?With Jacob Heilbrunn, Editor of the National Interest.Presented by Freddy Gray. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re bringing you this podcast from the midst of the Brexit omni-shambles, and this episode contains a special Brexit edition (15:05). But before that, something just as monumental is happening on the other side of the world. China is developing a social credit system to rate its own citizens and their social behaviour. Just how dangerous is this idea (00:40)?With James O'Malley, Cindy Yu, James Forsyth, Tim Montgomerie, and Sienna Rodgers.Presented by Katy Balls.Produced by Cindy Yu and Alastair Thomas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Katy Balls on this new podcast from the Spectator - she talks to women at the top of their respective games about their passions, their battles, and what makes them tick. The first episode is with columnist and BBC Radio 5 Live broadcaster, Emma Barnett. Katy talks to Emma about stepping in for Andrew Marr, interviewing the Prime Minister, and how her granddad is her most loyal fan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam talks to Nora Krug about her remarkable graphic work Heimat - in which this German born writer and artist discusses how it has felt to grow up in Germany and later the US with the shadow of her homeland’s war guilt, how that has issued in art, literature and humour, and about her risky attempt to discover her own family’s wartime past.Presented by Sam Leith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.