Podcast Episodes

The Edition: Claws out for Keir, Mamdani’s poisoned apple & are most wedding toasts awful?

This week: one year of Labour – the verdict

In the magazine this week Tim Shipman declares his verdict on Keir Starmer’s Labour government as we approach the first anniversary of their election victor…

Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Book Club: Karin Slaughter

Sam Leith's guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is one of the most popular living thriller writers. Karin Slaughter has made her native Georgia her fictional territory, and she joins Sam as she la…

Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Holy Smoke: it’s time for Pope Leo XIV to make some tough decisions

Nearly everyone loves Robert Prevost, the unassuming baseball fan from Chicago who unexpectedly became Pope Leo XIV this year. But as he prepares to spend his summer in Castel Gandolfo he has some di…

Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Table Talk: Thomasina Miers, co-founder of Wahaca

Thomasina Miers is a chef, writer and restaurateur who co-founded Wahaca – the award-winning restaurant group that brought bold, sustainable Mexican street food to the UK. Her new book, Mexican Table…

Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Coffee House Shots: does Starmer still want to be PM?

There have been a number of navel-gazing interviews with the Prime Minister over the weekend. Across thousands and thousands of words, he seems to be saying – if you read between the lines – that he …

Published on 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Coffee House Shots: Steve Baker on how to organise a successful rebellion

As Labour rebels appear to have forced concessions from Keir Starmer over welfare this week, former Conservative MP Steve Baker joins James Heale to reflect on his own time as a rebel, and to provide…

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Spectator Out Loud: Peter Frankopan, Tim Shipman, Francis Pike, Hermione Eyre and George Young

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Peter Frankopan argues that Israel’s attack on Iran has been planned for years (2:00); just how bad are things for Kemi Badenoch, asks Tim Shipman (13:34); Francis …

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago

Americano: how did Zohran Mamdani win?

Against all odds, Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assemblyman and proud 'Muslim democratic socialist' won as as the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor. Aidan McLaughlin wrote about this…

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago

The Edition: war and peace, why restaurants are going halal & the great brown furniture transfer

This week: war and peace

Despite initial concerns, the ‘Complete and Total CEASEFIRE’ – according to Donald Trump – appears to be holding. Tom Gross writes this week’s cover piece and argues that a we…

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago

The Book Club: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is science writer Carl Zimmer, whose new book Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe explores the invisible world of the aerobiome – the trilli…

Published on 5 months, 3 weeks ago