Best of the Spectator

Guy Kennaway, author of the novel Good Scammer, discusses the connection between scamming and skin bleaching, the debate over scamming and reparations in Jamaica, and Jamaica's influence on James Bond. They also delve into the division of wealth in cities and the importance of the Putchwa language and cultural identity.

Exploring the history and standardization of Mandarin in China, the prevalence of regional dialects, the ongoing Mandarin vs Cantonese debate, the relationship between language and national identity, and the construction of identity and the importance of consent.

This week: David Swift looks at whether hope remains in Jaffa, Isreal (00:51); Mary Wakefield on the civil service’s ‘say my name’ campaign (06:49) and Peter Hitchens on his time in prison (13:17). 

Alison McGovern sits on Labour’s front bench as the shadow minister for work and pensions but was first elected as an MP in 2010. Growing up in Merseyside, her grandfather was a folk singer who wrote ‘My Liverpool Home’. Her father was a railwayman that campaigned for better working conditions, but it was her mother that sparked her interest in politics.Following a successful career as Labour councillor she went onto win her seat for Wirral South. Alison has led several senior posts for Labour, which began as Gordon Brown’s parliamentary secretary, then Opposition Whip, Shadow Minister for international development, Shadow Education, Shadow Treasury Minister and Shadow DCMS Minister.

Anshel Pfeffer, Paul Wood, and Dennis Ross debate whether Israel can rely on its allies. The podcast also explores the use of AI in fiction writing and discusses the complexities of dating widowers.

McKay Coppins, author of the bestselling book 'Romney: A Reckoning', discusses Mitt Romney's potential third-party bid, his efforts against Trump, and the challenges faced by centrist movements. They also explore Romney's disappointment with the never-Trump movement, his political failures, and the famous dinner incident. Insights are shared on Trump's approach to the Washington establishment and potential consequences for a second term.

My guest in this week's Book Club podcast is the art critic Jonathan Jones. The term 'renaissance' is out of fashion among scholars these days, but in his new book Earthly Delights: A History of the Renaissance Jonathan argues that it points to something momentous in human history. On the podcast, Jonathan makes the case for what that something is – which is perhaps more heretical, and less Italian, than we might have remembered.

Journalist Celia Walden discusses her love for lentils and her husband's signature dish, spaghetti Morganese. They reminisce about their food experiences at Cambridge University, share cooking habits, and talk about Celia's new novel, 'The Square'.

This week, Svitlana Morenets says Ukraine’s counteroffensive is not living up to the hype (00:59), Sean Thomas says he likes travelling to crappy towns (10:27), and Angus Colwell defends London’s rickshaw drivers (17:38). Presented and produced by Max Jeffery.

How we achieve net zero is more than just a political or environmental decision. It is one that will have huge societal impacts. How we get our energy translates to how we move around, how we heat our homes. It’s a reminder that the energy transition has many trade-offs, as we navigate achieving net zero while protecting the wellbeing of people and industry, especially during a cost-of-living crisis. Might hydrogen be part of the answer? In this special podcast, The Spectator’s economics editor Kate Andrews speaks with those working in government, NGOs, and industry about how to unlock this technology. She is joined by Chris Stark, Chief Executive of Climate Change Committee (CCC); Chris Skidmore MP, author of the government’s net zero review; Emma Pinchbeck, CEO of Energy UK; and Jon Butterworth, CEO of National Gas. This podcast is kindly sponsored by National Gas.