Best of the Spectator

The Spectator
Best of the Spectator

Home to the Spectator's best podcasts on everything from politics to religion, literature to food and drink, and more. A new podcast every day from writers worth listening to.

  1. The Edition: Easter special – assisted dying, ‘bunny ebola’ & how do you eat your creme egg?

    14H AGO

    The Edition: Easter special – assisted dying, ‘bunny ebola’ & how do you eat your creme egg?

    This week: should the assisted dying bill be killed off? Six months after Kim Leadbeater MP launched the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a group of Labour MPs have pronounced it ‘irredeemably flawed and not fit to become law’. They say the most basic aspects of the bill – having gone through its committee stage – do not hold up to scrutiny. Dan Hitchens agrees, writing in the magazine this week that ‘it’s hard to summarise the committee’s proceedings except with a kind of Homeric catalogue of rejected amendments’ accompanied by a ‘series of disconcerting public statements’. With a third reading vote approaching, what could it tell us about the country we live in? Dan joins the podcast alongside the Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie, who provides the Spectator’s diary for the week. (1:34) Next: where are all the rabbits? If you’ve noticed fewer rabbits across the countryside that might be due to a killer pandemic that has appeared on Britain’s shores. Henry Williams raises awareness in the magazine this week about Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD), which has a mortality rate of between 70 and 100% and has already left rabbits endangered in countries like Spain. The disease can kill suddenly and is particularly prolific within wild rabbits, which are less likely to be vaccinated than household pets. How concerned should we be? Henry joined the podcast to discuss. (20:56) And finally: are creme eggs delicious – or disgusting? ‘How do you eat yours?’ asks the famous Cadbury's advert for creme eggs. James Innes-Smith, writing his notes on creme eggs in the magazine this week, responds ‘stamping on them in disgust’. James might not be a fan but most of the British public are – over 220 million of them are sold in the UK each year. Even more astonishing given they’re only available to buy for a third of the year. Why are they loved so much? James joined the podcast alongside The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan, who makes the case for creme eggs. (27:09) Presented by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

    34 min
  2. The Edition: Trump shock, cousin marriage & would you steal from a restaurant?

    APR 10

    The Edition: Trump shock, cousin marriage & would you steal from a restaurant?

    This week: Trump’s tariffs – madness or mastermind? ‘Shock tactics’ is the headline of our cover article this week, as deputy editor Freddy Gray reflects on a week that has seen the US President upend the global economic order, with back and forth announcements on reciprocal and retaliatory tariffs. At the time of writing, a baseline 10% on imports stands – with higher tariffs remaining for China, Mexico and Canada. The initial announcement last week had led to the biggest global market decline since the start of the pandemic, and left countries scrambling to react, whether through negotiation or retaliation. China announced a second wave of retaliatory tariffs – to 84% – and Trump, while softening his stance towards other countries, appeared to lean in to a trade war with China by announcing a further hike to 125%. As Freddy writes, for Trump and his supporters ‘China is America’s chief enemy.’ ‘President Trump just took a massive punch at Xi, right in the chops,’ said Steve Bannon. ‘The overlords of easy money, the sociopathic overlords that run Wall Street, the globalist corporatists and the apartheid state of Silicon Valley – all of them combined are the partners of the Chinese Communist party.’ But, as Freddy asks in the magazine, is there method in the madness? Freddy joined the podcast to discuss alongside the financial journalist and Spectator contributor Michael Lynn. (1:35) Next: should cousin marriages be banned? Cousin marriage has been back in the news since the Conservative MP Richard Holden proposed banning the practice. Much of the debate has focused on the British Pakistani community where marriage between cousins is less taboo than other communities within the UK. But, as Iram Ramzan writes in the magazine this week, marriage between cousins has been legal in the UK stretching back to Henry VIII. The dictator Saddam Hussein, the musician Jerry Lee Lewis and even the father of evolution Charles Darwin are surprising examples of people who married their first cousins. Iram writes that it was to her horror that her family suggested she marry her second cousin. To what extent is the law the right recourse to deter cousin marriage? And what are the cultural, ethical, as well as genetic, considerations? Iram joined the podcast alongside Dominic Wilkinson, professor of medical ethics at the University of Oxford. (18:09) And finally: restaurant thefts are rising – why? The Spectator’s food columnist Olivia Potts explores how restaurants are facing a rising problem of theft. Gordon Ramsay’s latest restaurant suffered a £2,000 loss in one week for example. from theft. And, as many as 17 million Britons say they have stolen from a pub or restaurant. Why do they do it? And why is restaurant theft a particular problem now? Liv joined us to discuss further, alongside an anonymous contributor who agreed to share their own experience of stealing from restaurants. (29:57) Presented by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.

    39 min
4.4
out of 5
150 Ratings

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Home to the Spectator's best podcasts on everything from politics to religion, literature to food and drink, and more. A new podcast every day from writers worth listening to.

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