Best of the Spectator

This week: Katy Balls on what the Elgin Marbles row is really about (00:56); Lionel Shriver on feckless politicians when it comes to immigration (06:43) and Marcus Walker on his rage against multi-faith prayer rooms (15:37). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the podcast:In her cover piece for the magazine, The Spectator's assistant editor Cindy Yu – writing ahead of the COP28 summit this weekend – describes how China has cornered the renewables market. She joins the podcast alongside Akshat Rathi, senior climate reporter for Bloomberg and author of Climate Capitalism: Winning the Global Race to Zero Emissions, to investigate China's green agenda. (01:22)Also this week:Margaret Mitchell writes in The Spectator about the uncertainty she is facing around her graduate visa. This is after last week's statistics from the ONS showed that net migration remains unsustainably high, leaving the government under pressure to curb legal migration. Margaret joins the podcast with Michael Simmons, The Spectator’s data editor. (13:07)And finally: why not eat man’s best friend?This is the question that Sean Thomas grapples with in his piece for the magazine this week. He writes in light of the news that South Korea aims to ban eating dogs and recalls his experience sampling dog meat in Cambodia. He is joined by The Spectator’s vintage chef, Olivia Potts. (21:42)Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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).  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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'.