Best of the Spectator

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Peter Parker takes us through the history of guardsmen and homosexuality (1:12); Prof. Wayne Hunt explains what the Conservatives could learn from the 1993 Canadian election (9:10); Nicholas Lezard reflects on the diaries of Franz Kafka, on the eve of his centenary (16:06); Mark Mason provides his notes on Horse Guards (22:52); and, Nicholas Farrell ponders his wife’s potential suitors, once he’s died (26:01).  Presented and produced by Patrick Gibbons.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump has been found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. The Spectator columnist Lionel Shriver joins Freddy Gray to respond to the news. Was it a fair trial? What could it mean for the 2024 presidential election? And what are the wider implications for American democracy?Produced by Megan McElroy, Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor John Mearsheimer joins Freddy Gray to talk about the powder keg situation in Eastern Europe, why Putin is possibly the least hawkish of possible Russian leaders and why Israel has lost escalation dominance.This was originally broadcast on SpectatorTV.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Edition: Wannabes - are any of them ready? Our cover piece takes a look at the state of the parties a week into the UK general election campaign. The election announcement took everyone by surprise, including Tory MPs, so what’s been the fallout since? To provide the latest analysis, The Spectator’s political editor Katy Balls joins the podcast (2:00). Then: Angus Colwell reports on how the election is playing out on social media, and the increasing role of the political ‘spinfluencer’. These accounts have millions of likes, but how influential could they be during the election? Alongside Angus, Harry Boeken, aka @thechampagne_socialist on TikTok, joins us to share their thoughts on who is winning the social media war (15:08). And finally: are we in the midst of a new space race? Author of Space 2069, the Future of Space Exploration, Dr David Whitehouse writes in the magazine this week about China’s latest lunar mission. What are the geopolitical implications, and should the global west be paying more attention? David joins us to discuss, alongside journalist and author of The Future of Geography, Tim Marshall (25:12).  Hosted by Lara Prendergast and Gus Carter. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 3rd marks the centenary of Franz Kafka's death. To talk about this great writer's peculiar style and lasting legacy, I'm joined by two of the world's foremost Kafka scholars. Mark Harman has just translated, edited and annotated a new edition of Kafka's Selected Stories, while Ross Benjamin is the translator of the first unexpurgated edition of Kafka's Diaries. They tell me what they understand by 'Kafkaesque', the unique difficulties he presents in editing and translation, and the unstable relationship between his published works, his notebooks and his troubled life.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's an episode of Holy Smoke to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Anton Bruckner later this year. This embarrassingly eccentric genius was, perhaps, the most devoutly Catholic of all the major composers – but you don't have to be religious to appreciate the unique consolation offered by his gigantic symphonies. On the other hand, it's hard to appreciate the unique flavour of Bruckner without taking into account the influence of the liturgy on his sublime slow movements and what the (atheist) composer and Bruckner scholar Robert Simpson called the 'calm fire' of his blazing finales. If you make it through to the end of this episode, you'll hear exactly what he meant. Produced by Patrick Gibbons Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China's rapid transformation since 1978 has lifted millions from poverty but has also created stark generational divides. Personal stories of four millennial women in 'Private Revolutions' reveal their struggles with activism, education, and social mobility. The fierce competition in education highlights the challenges they face, exacerbated by the hukou system's disparities. Additionally, the emotional toll of migration on families showcases the lasting impacts of these changes, shedding light on the resilience and aspirations amid societal pressures.

This week the world may know whether Donald Trump becomes the first US President to receive a criminal conviction. But could this verdict help or hinder him? Tom Lubbock, co-founder of pollsters J L Partners, joins Freddy Gray to discuss. They also analyse the dynamics at play in current polling: why is Trump doing better in the sun-belt states? And is this election a referendum on Biden?Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Natasha Feroze.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freddy Gray speaks to author Jacob Heilbrunn about what another term in office for Donald Trump might mean for America's foreign policy, its relationship with Israel, and the war in Ukraine.How have his views changed since last time? And what will his relationship with Putin be like? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Quentin Letts takes us through his diary for the week (1:12); Owen Matthews details the shadow fleet helping Russia to evade sanctions (7:15); Michael Hann reports on the country music revival (15:05); Laura Gascoigne reviews exhibitions at the Tate Britain and at Studio Voltaire (21:20); and, Michael Simmons provides his notes on the post-pub stable, the doner kebab (26:20). Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.