The Spectator Podcast

This year the publishers Faber & Faber celebrate their 90th birthday, and to honour the occasion Sam is joined by Toby Faber, the founder’s grandson and the author of a new history of the company called Faber & Faber: The Untold Story. Most corporate histories are boring, but this one — told largely through the correspondence of that company’s astonishing cast of literary luminaries — is anything but. Toby talks about the company’s rackety start as a publisher of medical textbooks; about T.S. Eliot and the genesis of Cats; and Kazuo Ishiguro’s most mortifying moment.Spectator Books is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes of Spectator Books here.

Four years ago, the Assisted Dying Bill was overwhelmingly defeated in parliament. The euthanasia debate hasn’t disappeared, however, and will be brought back in parliament this Thursday. One recent poll showed that 90 per cent of the UK’s population now support assisted dying for the terminally ill. So is a relaxation of the law inevitable? Would it represent progress? Or is it very dangerous? Our literary editor Sam Leith joined our associate editor Douglas Murray to discuss. Tune in for a considered and civilised discussion between two people with very different views.This discussion was first recorded for a magazine feature earlier this year. You can read that here.

With Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth.Presented by Katy Balls.Coffee House Shots is a series of podcasts on British politics from the Spectator's political team and special guests. Brought to you daily, click here to find more episodes that are not released on Spectator Radio.

Broadcaster and journalist Jo Coburn tells how German got her into journalism, what it's like to work with Andrew Neil, and what happened behind the scenes of that infamous Will Self-Mark Francois death stare.Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls.

This week, as presidents Xi and Trump meet at the G20, is the world on the eve of a new Cold War (00:30)? Plus, Boris Johnson’s campaign has had a tough week – but is this anything more than a wobble (15:55)? And last – he’s had three wives, and his current partner is more than 20 years his junior – but why doesn’t anyone ever talk about Jeremy Corbyn’s love life (24:30)?With Gerard Baker, Yu Jie, James Forsyth, Camilla Tominey, Melissa Kite, and Paul Staines.Presented by Isabel Hardman.Produced by Cindy Yu and Siva Thaganrajah.

In this week’s Spectator Books podcast Sam's guest is Benjamin Dreyer — whose name is pronounced, as Sam discovers live on air, 'Dryer' rather than 'Drayer'. That seems an apt way to be introduced to a man who, as Random House US’s Copy Chief, makes his living correcting errors. His new book Dreyer’s English is a compendium of useful tricks of the trade, sharp opinions and authoritative rulings on everything to do with language and style. They talk transatlantic language differences, angry pedants, and punctuation nitty-gritty, with special reference to Steven Pinker, the New Yorker and Guns N’ Roses.Spectator Books is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes of Spectator Books here.

With John Hudson, National Security Reporter at the Washington Post.Presented by Freddy Gray.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

With Michael Wolff, author of 'Fire and Fury'. He talks to Freddy Gray about the Mueller Report, the influence of Steve Bannon on Trump, and how Trump and Boris aren't the same political character.Presented by Freddy Gray.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

Lara and Livvy talks to food writer Tom Parker-Bowles about his mother's roast chicken, prep school gruel, and why, as a food critic, he still loves McDonald's.Table Talk is a series of podcasts where Lara Prendergast and Olivia Potts talk to celebrity guests about their life story, through the food and drink that has come to define it. Listen to past episodes here.

This week - Boris Johnson is poised to take the Tory leadership, and the keys to number 10 - but who is he really, and how will he govern (1:02)? Also, what should happen to the ISIS Beatles (11:11)? And finally, does the Lord's Prayer really need a re-write (22:41)?With Toby Young, Stephen Bush, Paul Wood, Tom Wilson, Melanie McDonagh and Marcus Walker.Presented by Isabel HardmanProduced by Gabriel Radonich

In this week’s books podcast Kit de Waal is here to talk about her new anthology of working-class memoir, Common People. First a guest on this podcast a couple of years ago talking about her Desmond-Elliott-shortlisted debut My Name Is Leon, Kit explains why she thought an anthology of working-class writing was necessary, about if and how the pendulum has swung since previous booms in working-class writing, what still needs to change in publishing, and how, as an editor, she avoided falling victim to Four Yorkshiremen Of The Apocalypse Syndrome.Spectator Books is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. 

With James Forsyth and Katy Balls. Presented by Fraser Nelson.Coffee House Shots is a series of podcasts on British politics from the Spectator's political team and special guests. Brought to you daily (and now even on Saturdays), click here to find more episodes that are not released on Spectator Radio.

With Daniel McCarthy, editor of Modern Age and Spectator USA contributor.Presented by Freddy Gray.Americano is a series of in-depth discussions on American politics with the best pundits stateside. Presented by Freddy Gray, editor of Spectator USA. Click here to listen to previous episodes.

Isabel Hardman presents the highlights from Sunday's political interviews. Today's podcast features Jeremy Hunt, Rory Stewart, Dominic Raab, Amber Rudd, Andy Burnham and Kim Leadbeater. Produced by Matthew Taylor. 

With Katy Balls, Conservative Home's Paul Goodman, and the Mail on Sunday's Dan Hodges.Presented by Cindy Yu.Coffee House Shots is a series of podcasts on British politics from the Spectator's political team and special guests. Brought to you daily (and now even on Saturdays), click here to find more episodes that are not released on Spectator Radio.

Layla Moran tells Katy Balls about her childhood as a diplomat's daughter, the social life of an MP, and getting arrested at Lib Dem conference.Presented by Katy Balls.Women With Balls is a podcast series where Katy Balls speak to women at the top of their respective games. To hear past episodes, visit spectator.co.uk/balls.

This week, the government commits to a green target of net zero emissions by 2050 – but how costly will meeting it be (00:25)? And stateside, with the Mueller Report showing the extent of Trump’s meddling, should Democrats try to impeach him (11:30)? And last, are modern fathers taken for granted (22:25)?With Lord Peter Lilley, Sam Richards, John Rick MacArthur, Karin Robinson, Cosmo Landesman, and Anna Machin.Presented by Isabel Hardman.Produced by Cindy Yu and Siva Thangarajah. 

This week’s books podcast promises to be a trip. Sam is joined by Mike Jay to talk about the history of mescaline — a psychedelic drug whose influence goes from the earliest South American civilisations through the 19th-century Indian Wars up to W B Yeats, Aleister Crowley and (of course) Aldous Huxley and Hunter S Thompson. Does tripping balls tell us anything profound about human consciousness? How come Mexico got all the good drugs? And why did Aldous Huxley lie about his trousers?Presented by Sam Leith.Spectator Books is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes of Spectator Books here.

The UK has committed to its biggest defence project in a generation: the development of a sixth-generation fighter jet. The government says the project, dubbed Team Tempest, will secure Britain’s status as a leading military power after Brexit. It also says the jet will make use of space-ace technologies - ­including x-ray vision for pilots - to provide one of the most powerful defence capabilities on earth. But with the Ministry of Defence already strapped for cash, is the project feasible? And what about the security landscape? Just who are these fighter jets intended to deter?In this Podcast Special, Fraser Nelson spoke to Sir Roger Carr, chairman of BAE Systems, the company which intends to develop the jet and who are sponsoring the podcast; Vice-Marshal Simon Rochelle, the chief of staff capability for the Royal Air Force; and Douglas Barrie, an independent analyst with the defence think tank IISS.

With Isabel Hardman and Katy Balls.Presented by Fraser Nelson.Coffee House Shots is a series of podcasts on British politics from the Spectator's political team and special guests. Brought to you daily (and now even on Saturdays), click here to find more episodes that are not released on Spectator Radio.