Angela Levin

Thursday

Angela Levin

Chambers of horrors, the ‘Dubai-ification’ of London & the enduring obsession with Diana

From our UK edition

37 min listen

This week: the left-wing radicalism of Garden CourtGarden Court Chambers has a ‘reassuringly traditional’ facade befitting the historic Lincoln’s Inn Fields in the heart of London’s legal district. Yet, writes Ross Clark in the cover article this week, ‘the facade is just that. For behind the pedimented Georgian windows there operates the most radically effective cell of left-wing activists in Britain’. Ross argues that cases taken on by Garden Court lawyers raise questions of impartiality. Is this just another example of ‘law’s expanding empire’ over the domain of elected politicians, as former Supreme Court judge Jonathan Sumption has warned? The Spectator’s editor, and former Justice Secretary, Michael Gove joined the podcast to discuss.

Friday

Angela Levin

Saying ‘no’ to Donald Sutherland was the start of a beautiful friendship

From our UK edition

I’d only been working for a few months as a researcher on the Observer’s magazine. One late evening, the deputy editor rushed over to me in the open plan office. I’d been working on a project and didn’t want to go home.  ‘Look’ he said, ‘the actor Donald Sutherland is in town to promote his latest film.' ( I can’t remember its name). ‘Have you heard of him.’ I nodded. ‘We forgot to get anyone to go and none of the features writers are free. Would you like to try your hand at an interview?’ I told him that I wasn’t going to have sex with him. He looked at me seriously and then burst out laughing He paused. ‘Look he can be very difficult.

Wednesday

Angela Levin

The quiet radicalism of Elizabeth II

From our UK edition

34 min listen

In this week’s episode:Robert Hardman & Angela Levin, two of the UK’s royal specialists, explore the character of the Queen and the impact she has had on the institution of the monarchy. (00:36)Also this week:For now, it seems that Boris Johnson is hanging on after the publishing of the Sue Gray report, but how stable is his position? Could a vote of no confidence be closer than anyone expects? The Spectator’s political editor James Forsyth joins the podcast to discuss. (13:47)And finally:Is Chinese cinema in decline? Cindy Yu writes on this in this week’s Spectator, and she joins the podcast along with Andrew Heskins, the founder of easternkicks.com, a review website specialising in Asian film, and co-founder of the film festival, Focus Hong Kong.

Thursday

Angela Levin

Frozen: can China escape its zero-Covid trap?

From our UK edition

40 min listen

In this week’s episode: Is China stuck in a zero-Covid trap?For this week’s cover story, Cindy Yu looks at Xi Jinping’s attempt to grapple with Covid. She joins the podcast, along with Ben Cowling, Chair Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong. (01:42)Also this week: Whose in The Zac Pack? And what is their influence in No.10?James Heale, The Spectator’s diary editor has written in this week’s magazine about The Zac Pack. A group made up of Carrie Johnson, Lord Goldsmith and some highly influential figures in the Westminster corridors. James is joined by Christian Calgie, a senior reporter at Guido Fawkes to discuss the power this group have in No.10.

Thursday

Angela Levin

A race against time: can the vaccine outpace the virus?

From our UK edition

34 min listen

Coronavirus vaccines are now being distributed across the world, but what are the challenges posed by its delivery? (01:30) Is Boris Johnson the SNP's greatest weapon? (13:55) And is Prince Harry becoming more and more like his mother? (23:35)With financial columnist Matthew Lynn; former director at the McKinsey Global Institute Richard Dobbs; the UK's former director of immunisation David Salisbury; The Spectator's deputy political editor Katy Balls; The Spectator's Scotland editor Alex Massie; journalist Melanie McDonagh; and royal biographer Angela Levin.Presented by Lara Prendergast.Produced by Max Jeffery, Alexa Rendell, Sam Russell and Matt Taylor.