Best of the Spectator

This week: May and Corbyn were dragged reluctantly to new positions on Brexit. So, have they lost control of their parties? And what does this mean for a timely Brexit, or indeed, Brexit at all (00:45)? Lara also talks to our Literary Editor, Sam Leith, on the joys of videogaming. What’s behind the success of this £4 billion industry (21:20)? With Katy Balls, James Forsyth, Nick Boles MP, Sienna Rodgers, Sam Leith, and Harry Darwin. Presented by Lara Prendergast. Produced by Cindy Yu and Siva Thaganrajah.

In this week’s books podcast Sam talks to Peter Stanford, author of Angels: A Visible and Invisible History. Why is it that, according to some polls, more people believe in angels than believe in God? Peter takes us on a tour through history, theology and literature to find how the winged cherubs on our Christmas cards got there, and why they look as they do. Along the way he addresses some of the vital questions. Do angels have wings — and if so, how many? What are they made of — light, or compressed air? Are they above or below humans in the hierarchy of creation? Which is the friendliest archangel: Michael, Gabriel or Raphael? And how many can dance on the head of a pin? Presented by Sam Leith.

Fraser Nelson talks to Jacob Rees-Mogg about where the ERG went wrong, how to get away with never changing nappies how much religion impacts his politics - and much more. Recorded in front of a sell-out audience of 2,300

With Katy Balls and James Forsyth. Presented by Fraser Nelson.

**An earlier version of this podcast had an audio problem that meant listeners were unable to hear it. This has now been fixed. Apologies for any inconvenience** In this episode of Spectator Books, Sam talks to the American journalist David Wallace-Wells about his new book The Uninhabitable Earth: A Story of the Future. In it, he uses the best available scientific projections to underpin a picture of what the world would look like if it heats up by four degrees or more. Not pretty, is the conclusion he comes to. But what’s he trying to achieve with this book? Why, in his view, do we not take climate change seriously enough? And is this Project Fear — or Project Damn Well Pay Attention?

Katy Balls talks to Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, about her childhood ambitions to prevent nuclear war, giving birth the night before a selection meeting, and going head to head with John Bercow in the Commons.

This week, a new centrist party has finally been formed. So what does this mean for British politics (00:30)? Plus, we talk about the merits of artificial intelligence and ask, is it something to fear (21:55)? And last, do hen parties have to be so crass (32:15)? With Katy Balls, James Forsyth, Gavin Shuker MP, Joe Twyman, Chris Duffey, Jamie Bartlett, Sophia Money-Coutts and Dan Harley. Presented by Lara Prendergast. Produced by Cindy Yu and Siva Thaganrajah.

Freddy Gray talks to John Rick MacArthur, President of Harpers Magazine, on Bernie's presidential bid and why the Democrats are out to get him.

With James Forsyth and Katy Balls. Presented by Lara Prendergast.

Lara and Livvy talk to broadcaster and writer Iain Dale about his life through food and drink. Or rather, the food and drink he doesn't like. It turns out that Iain is the fussiest eater to come on the podcast, but he tells us about the food and drinks that he does like (chicken fajitas, German schnitzels, and Lilt) as well as about what it was like to grow up on a farm, being food poisoned in Russia, and why he buys his crisps from eBay. In our Table Talk series, Lara Prendergast and Olivia Potts talk to a celebrity guests about their life story, through the food and drink that has come to define it.

Amazon cancelled plans to build a New York headquarters this week. Have tech giants like Amazon and Google been allowed to get away with too much, for too long? Freddy Gray talks to Barry Lynn, Director of the Open Markets Institute, who campaigns to limit their powers.

Despite the shambolic Tory government, Labour is still trailing in the polls. This week we ask: is Corbyn cracking up (00:30)? Plus, is wearing a hijab necessarily oppressive (17:15), and last, have younger members of the Royal family bought in to a narrative of victimhood (22:25)? With Nick Cohen, Stephen Bush, Soutiam Goodarzi, Jan Moir, and Victoria Murphy. Presented by Isabel Hardman. Produced by Cindy Yu and Siva Thangarajah.

In this week's Spectator Books, Sam is joined by Deborah Lipstadt -- the historian who herself made a piece of history when she defeated the Holocaust denier David Irving in court. In her new book Antisemitism Now, Professor Lipstadt returns to the fray to look at the worldwide uptick of antisemitism in our own day and age. Sam asks her why she felt the need to write this book and frame it in the way she did, how antisemitism differs from other forms of prejudice, and what you can and can't say about Israel.  Presented by Sam Leith.

With Isabel Hardman and James Forsyth. Presented by Fraser Nelson.

With James Forsyth and Fraser Nelson. Presented by Lara Prendergast.