Best of the Spectator

4.4 (159)
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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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14h ago

Reality Check: the AI apocalypse is just good marketing

Some whistleblowers from the AI industry claim there is a more than 10% chance that artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity within a few years. A group of mostly Labour MPs has written to Andy Burnham calling for action on existential AI risk, while conceding there is little the British government can do about it alone. Michael Simmons speaks to John Power about the incentives behind the warnings, whether AI can realistically be regulated and why more mundane harms, from AI-written complaints flooding bodies such as IPSO to hackers using chatbots, may deserve more attention. Are the doom-mongers sounding a genuine alarm – or selling the most powerful product ever built? This episode is brought to you by Artemis Fund Managers, for more information on our fund range please click here https://www.artemisfunds.com/ Produced by Henry Lloyd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1d ago

Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman, Charles Steel, Alex Diggins & Rachel Johnson

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman delves into the impact Ed Miliband’s Israeli sanctions have had on UK security; Charles Steel explores the men on the spectrum who rule the world; Alex Diggins talks about the importance of physical maps; and Rachel Johnson admits there’s an art to buying birthday presents. Produced and presented by Abigail Brierley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2d ago

Holy Smoke: Pakistani Christians fear backlash over Lambeth Palace award

Pakistani Christians could face renewed persecution following the Archbishop of Canterbury’s decision to withdraw an honour to a leading Muslim cleric, Monsignor Michael Nazir-Ali warns in this episode of Holy Smoke. The former Bishop of Rochester speaks to Damian Thompson following the news that Lambeth Palace has had to withdraw an award to Hafiz Ashrafi after previous comments by the Imam came to light. Following the ‘Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation' award being presented, it came to light that Ashrafi had praised Osama bin Laden in 2007, saying he would give the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks the title Saifullah – or 'Sword of God’ – for ’serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels’. The question remains ‘why there was not due diligence’ Msgr Nazir-Ali tells Damian, saying Pakistani Christian leaders fear a backlash. The ‘reactionary action on the part of extremists’ should have been thought about before making the announcement, Nazir-Ali said, as he criticised Lambeth Palace. Msgr Nazir-Ali, now a priest of the Catholic Ordinariate and who was born in Pakistan, is a world renowned authority on Islam's relations with Christianity. He talks to Damian about the debacle over the award, and warns against the increasing secularisation and desecration of British churches. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3d ago

Americano: Steve Bannon on the AI extinction threat

is episode of Americano, Freddy Gray speaks with Steve Bannon – former White House chief strategist for Donald Trump - about the ideological convergence between national populists and progressive Leftists as they confront the existential risks of unbridled AI, the suppression of internal whistleblower warnings by Silicon Valley elites, and the urgent necessity of cutting off Chinese access to Western microchips and capital. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4d ago

The Edition: Peter Hitchens & Toby Young on whether we should fear the manosphere

For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s associate editor and director of the Free Speech Union Toby Young, journalist and author Esther Walker, and Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens. This week: the men on the spectrum who rule the world. Charles Steel writes in the magazine about the wealthy, obsessive and often unconventional figures who increasingly shape politics and technology – from Elon Musk to the crypto billionaire Ben Delo. Is autism a useful way of understanding these men or has society become too obsessed with diagnosing people? Toby argues that traits such as hyper-focus and an indifference to what others think can be an advantage in competitive professions, while Peter dismisses our enthusiasm for putting people on ‘spectrums’ altogether. And, as tech leaders issue increasingly apocalyptic warnings about artificial intelligence, should we take them seriously or be suspicious of calls for greater regulation? Also: should parents really be worried about the ‘manosphere’? Esther argues that the moral panic surrounding online influencers such as Andrew Tate is already out of date. Teenage boys, she says, are perfectly capable of recognising when misogyny is being used as a business model – and many are more interested in mocking influencers than following them. But with ‘looksmaxxing’, bodybuilding and increasingly extreme attempts at self-improvement taking off online, are boys becoming more like the teenage girls of previous generations? Plus: Peter reveals why he has fallen out of love with America – and in love with Canada, while Toby marks 35 years since the launch of the Modern Review. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
5d ago

Quite right!: Rory Stewart interview | Part two

In the second part of his conversation with Michael Gove, Rory Stewart defends the most taboo position in British politics: that private schools are worth protecting. He further argues that the only excuse for privilege is living up to its obligations, and that a wealth tax would destroy the idea of public service. Rory tells Michael what Nigel Farage and Reform UK get wrong about tax, why he disagrees with Peter Thiel on what the wealthy should do with their money, and why Rishi Sunak staying in parliament matters more than anyone noticed. They also discuss how to get Britain growing, why he is a big fan of building more data centres, and how Rory came to be at peace with 450 new houses being built at the end of his own driveway. Plus: What he really disagrees with Alastair Campbell about, the writers he cannot stand, and his plans for the future. You can pre-order Rory's book Middleland now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
6d ago

The Book Club: Anand Gopal – Days of Love and Rage

In this week's Book Club podcast, Sam Leith is joined by The New Yorker writer Anand Gopal, whose new book, long-listed for the Baillie Gifford Prize, is Days of Love and Rage: A Story of Revolution. What does freedom mean once the dictator has gone? Anand explains why he spent eight years reporting on Manbij, a city of 150,000 that pushed out the Assad regime and set about building a democracy from scratch – and how the argument over what came next split the revolution in two. They discuss the bubblegum seller who became a protest leader, the police chief who quietly stopped shooting at the crowds, how six outsiders talked their way into control of the city, and why the manuscript was handed in three days before Assad fell. Produced by Henry Lloyd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 14

Quite right!: Rory Stewart interview | Part one

Michael Gove is joined by Rory Stewart, for a conversation he admits would ‘revolt’ his podcasting partner Alastair Campbell. Rory sets out the migration policy he would impose: every boat he would return to France, how he would cut the number of legal arrivals, and completely rework Britain’s broken asylum system. Rory argues that the grooming gangs debate is being conducted in bad faith, that migrant communities in Britain tend to assimilate rather than isolate, and that the culture warriors have picked a fight that distracts from Britain’s bigger problems. Part Two, in which he makes a case for the future of private education and explains how Britain can achieve growth, will be released on Thursday 17th September. You can pre-order Rory's book Middleland now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

See All (2K)

Rory Stewart

Guest
Anand Gopal

Guest
Tali Fraser

Guest
John Power

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Sophia Money-Coutts

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Angus Colwell

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James Heale

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William Moore

Guest
Michael Simmons

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Alex Burghart

Guest

4.4

out of 5

159 Ratings

I need views from the other side

03/30/2023

Borderd Gothic

I could not get the feeling out of my mind that Eva Vlaardingerbroek did not sound credible, I could be completely wrong. I really needed the views from the side. Maybe you can do that on another show I would be interested.
Ghoulishly unintentionally funny

07/22/2025

angrylf

These posh blow hards will have you laughing out loud at their obtuse, self involved obliviousness as to how the economy and culture etc. actually run - truly a bunch of princes and princesses high up in their ivory towers confounded by the ghastly vulgarity of the masses - and yes, they are in ivory towers and they don’t see the problem with that either! 😆
Re US election

11/12/2024

RosiePKR

Utterly pompous misogynistic review by Freddie gray. You have spent too long at mar e lago and you perspective has been skewed…
Great podcast

03/26/2024

Tjbrowne

I love the perspective brought to listeners , consistently interesting

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