As is fast becoming a tradition on Coffee House Shots at this time of year, James Heale and Tim Shipman are joined by sketch writer Quentin Letts to go through the events of the past 12 months. From sackings to resignations, and Farage to Polanski, it is a year in which the centuries-old consensus has been challenged and Westminster is delicately poised ahead of a 2026 which will define politics for the remainder of this parliamentary term. On the podcast, they discuss who is up and who is down, why Farage might be running out of steam and who is the most insufferable MP?

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Megan McElroy.

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

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

The Spectator’s associate editor Toby Young sits down with master storyteller Bernard Cornwell, author of more than 50 international bestselling novels, including The Last Kingdom and much-loved Sharpe series. They delve into Cornwell’s life and career, discuss the real history behind his riveting tales of war and heroism and explore the enduring appeal of historical fiction. This event marks the launch of Sharpe’s Storm, a bold new chapter in the saga of Richard Sharpe, set amid the chaos of 1813 France.

This discussion was part of the Spectator's speaker series. To see more on our upcoming events, go to events.spectator.co.uk.

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

Michael Gove and Madeline Grant confront the horror of the Bondi Beach massacre and ask why anti-Semitic violence now provokes despair rather than shock. As Jewish communities are once again targeted on holy days, they examine the roots of Islamist ideology and the failure of political leaders to name it. Why has anti-Semitism metastasised across the radical left, the Islamist world, and the far right – and why does the West seem so reluctant to grapple with its causes?

Then, on the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Michael and Maddie ask why Austen is endlessly repurposed, politicised and rewritten by modern adaptors? Was she an abolitionist, a moralist, or something far subtler – and why do her novels continue to resist ideological shoehorning two centuries on?

And finally: what makes the perfect whodunit? From Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers to Midsomer Murders and modern television crime, the pair explore puzzles, red herrings, atmosphere – and why readers feel cheated when justice doesn’t quite add up.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

To submit your urgent questions to Michael and Maddie, visit spectator.co.uk/quiteright.

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

Advertising guru – and the Spectator's Wiki Man columnist – Rory Sutherland joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke. In a wide ranging discussion, from Sigmund Freud and Max Weber to Quakers and Mormons, they discuss how some religious communities seem to be predisposed to success by virtue of their beliefs. How do spiritual choices affect consumer choices? Between Android and Apple, which is more Protestant and which is more Catholic? And what can modern Churches learn from Capitalism?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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

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

On this week’s special Christmas edition of Spectator Out Loud – part one: James Heale wonders if Keir Starmer will really have a happy new year; Gyles Brandreth discusses Her Majesty The Queen’s love of reading, and reveals which books Her Majesty has personally recommended to give this Christmas; Avi Loeb explains why a comet could be a spaceship; Melanie McDonagh compares Protestant and Catholic ghosts; Mary Wakefield explains what England’s old folk songs can teach us; Richard Bratby says there is joy to be found in composers’ graves; and, Rupert Hawksley provides his notes on washing up.

Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

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

The Spectator heads into Christmas a little bit less Scottish as we bid farewell to our political correspondent Lucy Dunn. Before Lucy leaves for STV, she joins Coffee House Shots – with fellow Scots Michael Simmons and Labour MP Gordon McKee – for one final episode reflecting on the state of Scottish politics. They discuss whether the SNP has stabilised Scottish politics this year, make predictions for what could happen at the 2026 Holyrood elections and ponder whether the Scottish influence in Westminster has grown stronger under Starmer. Plus, from Reform to the SNP – how new is the threat of populism in Scotland?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

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