The Book Club: George Forster and the Search for Humanity

Andy Burnham has won what may come to be seen as the most consequential by-election in recent memory. Political journalism has a tendency towards hyperbole, but the situation is clear: Burnham is on his way to Westminster with significant backing to take on Keir Starmer; he has proved that he can beat Reform on a ‘stop Starmer’ ticket and will now look to translate that message nationally; he also appears to have united the left behind him, with the Lib Dems and Greens barely registering in Makerfield.Meanwhile, the right is splintered. Reform’s momentum has been seriously dented, while the Tories have been buoyed by a welcome by-election victory in Aberdeen South. Big questions remain: will Starmer step aside with decorum, or subject the country to a painful Labour leadership contest? And after their fifth by-election defeat, where does this leave Nigel Farage?Political editor Tim Shipman is joined by a panel of guests and experts to unpack Andy Burnham’s win in Makerfield and the wider ramifications of a huge day in British politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s assistant editor Isabel Hardman and the editor of The New Statesman Tom McTague. Plus, in a special episode this week, the Spectator’s economics editor Michael Simmons joins for the first half of the episode, before political editor Tim Shipman jumps in later on.This week: was Brexit worth it? As we approach the tenth anniversary of the vote to leave the European Union, the Spectator’s editor – and former prominent Vote Leave campaigner – Michael Gove makes the case that not only was Britain right to leave, but it has benefitted from leaving. The past decade however has been marked by domestic political chaos, so to what extent was Brexit a symptom or a cause of deeper problems with the British state? Tom argues that whatever your thoughts on Brexit itself, most people in Britain – including in Makerfield – feel nothing has changed; it has been a ‘damp squib’. The author of Between The Waves, which charts the decision to Leave back to the Second World War, explains that while Brexit might not have been inevitable, there was always going to be a reckoning for Britain’s contradictory relationship with Europe. Brexit has undoubtably destabilised politics but, with a decade of chaos since, does that mean that Brexit has failed – or has the state failed? Also: to what extent is the Labour leadership saga connected to Brexit? Is it a symptom of the post-Brexit period, or was British politics always heading for instability? The group discuss where it all went wrong for Keir Starmer, from winter fuel to the welfare rebellion, and whether Andy Burnham will be able to succeed where Starmer failed. As the polls close in Makerfield, what happens next?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is the Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, whose new book, A British Childhood: How Our Children Live Now, describes what he discovered from the travels he undertook during his work with BookTrust and the Laureateship.He tells me what he learned about what really happens when a parent reads to a child, why the crisis in childhood reading is down to much more than the rise of screens – and how Heidi can save your life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enoch Powell is one of the most polarising figures in modern British politics. His infamous ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech – in which he warned that immigration would spark ethnic conflict – continues to shape some of today’s most important debates on race, identity and immigration.Michael Gove and assistant editor Madeline Grant sit down with Simon Heffer, author of Like the Roman: The Life of Enoch Powell, to explore Powell’s legacy. They examine how he became a model for populist rhetoric and discuss why understanding Enoch Powell is central to understanding the right today. This podcast was originally recorded as a live event. To find out more about future Spectator events go to: spectator.com/events Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer has announced his plans to ban social media for under 16s in Britain. The ban is due to come in early next year and include all main social media apps. Age-recognition and digital ID checks will be used to keep children away from social media. But when it comes to child safety, will it make a difference? And what are the unintended consequences of a ban? Michael Simmons challenges The Spectator's John Power.This episode is brought to you by Artemis Fund Managers, for more information on our fund range please click here https://www.artemisfunds.com/ . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freddy is joined by Daniel McCarthy, US columnist for The Spectator and the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review. They discuss the US-Iran peace deal, whether a lasting peace is possible in the region, and what's at stake for Iran and leaders in the Persian Gulf.Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold, at Monetary-Metals.com/Americano Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman interviews Kemi Badenoch – including excerpts from the interview; Justin Marozzi argues that Trump’s strategy has only strengthened the Iranian regime; Christopher Howse pays tribute to ‘London’s rudest landlord'; and finally, Lara Prendergasts says that ‘matrescence’ is one big con.  Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freddy Gray is joined by Cenk Uygur after he and Hasan Piker were banned from entering Britain. They discuss free speech, debate Cenk's position on criticising Israel, Britain’s censorious turn, and what the Henry Nowak case reveals about policing and anti-racism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator's commissioning editor Lara Brown, the columnist for the Wall Street Journal’s Free Expression newsletter Louise Perry and the Telegraph journalist and presenter of Ukraine: The Latest Francis Dearnley.This week: Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now gone on longer than the first world war and it shares much of the horrors of that war, from attrition warfare to substantial losses on both sides. So, with over half a million Russians estimated to be killed, could Putin and Zelensky be brought to an exhausted peace? ’No’ is the pessimistic answer from Francis Dearnley this week, who explains that while it might appear to be stuck in a stalemate, casualties are still rising rapidly and Ukraine is currently in the strongest position it has been in for almost 18 months. This is in part due to advances in drone technology, of which Ukraine is now the world’s leading ’superpower’. Drone technology has evolved so rapidly that Francis predicts ‘we are only a few months away from our first political assassination by drone’. What could bring the war to an end? And does British support for Ukraine remain strong?Also: one week out from the Makerfield by-election, what do we know of Andy Burnham’s Cambridge days? Lara Brown reveals the ‘reassuringly bland’ antics of the Northern lad – who could become Britain’s first Prime Minister with an English Literature degree. Does it matter? And more importantly – will he win?Plus, they discuss: whether ‘two-tiering’ or positive discrimination can ever be a good thing; if the new motherhood trend of ‘matrescence’ is a con; and, as the World Cup kicks off – is it coming home?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is Andrea Wulf, talking about her fascinating new book, The Traveller: George Forster and the Search for Humanity. Andrea tells me about the now-forgotten adventurer who sailed with Captain Cook, toured Europe as an intellectual celebrity and sparred with Kant and Rousseau over race and human civilisation – before throwing his lot in with the French Revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.