The Spectator, war and slavery: a note on our history
From our US edition
Yes, many publications do go on a journey — ours has been pretty steadfast
Fraser Nelson
Fraser Nelson is a Times columnist and a former editor of The Spectator.
Monday
Saturday
Audio Reads: Fraser Nelson, Douglas Murray, and Tanya Gold
14 min listen
Fraser Nelson reads his cover piece campaigning for the British government to offer citizenship to the Hong Kong Chinese; Douglas Murray asks – why do the Black Lives Matter protestors get to be exempt from the lockdown? And Tanya Gold reviews: Monster Munch.
Friday
Fact check: has Sweden really just renounced its anti-lockdown strategy?
From our US edition
Was something lost — or, rather, added — in translation?
Is it time for the government to admit its mistakes?
16 min listen
With an NHS tracing app not fully up and running until autumn, contact tracing seems like the latest in a series of events where the government has over-promised and under-delivered. Is it time for the government to admit the mistakes it has made in dealing with the pandemic?
New study suggests Covid infections were falling before lockdown
When lockdown was first imposed, there was little science to base it on. The virus was assumed to be growing at an exponential rate, with each infected person passing it on to about four others. The controversial assumption: only mandatory lockdown could stop this. Graphs were drawn, showing the infection rate barely dented by voluntary
Thursday
Our duty to Hong Kong: time to grant citizenship
40 min listen
As China looks to push through its national security law, is it time to offer Hong Kongers a way out? (01:00) And with the Black Lives Matter protests continuing to rage in America, can they unseat Donald Trump? (15:30) And last, do animals have culture? (29:10)
Our duty to Hong Kong: the case for granting full British citizenship
When the fate of Hong Kong was last seriously considered by a British prime minister, the world looked very different. It was argued — naively — that not much would change when the colony was handed back to China in 1997. A deal had been struck. Beijing would run defence and customs control, but otherwise
Tuesday
Does Rees-Mogg's plan for a socially distanced parliament work?
14 min listen
MPs are back in the House of Commons this week, and Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg wants them to vote physically, but socially distanced. This means a meandering queue through the Palace of Westminster for MPs to file through the lobbies. Will it work?
Monday
Will MPs rebel over No. 10's quarantine plan?
18 min listen
From the speed of easing lockdown, to quarantine for international travellers, to the return of MPs to parliament – the government is fighting battles on many fronts. Has it made things more difficult for itself?
Wednesday
Norway health chief: lockdown was not needed to tame Covid
Norway is assembling a picture of what happened before lockdown and its latest discovery is pretty significant. It is using observed data – hospital figures, infection numbers and so on – to construct a picture of what was happening in March. At the time, no one really knew. It was feared that virus was rampant
Friday
Can the government bring back the economy?
15 min listen
New figures from the ONS today show the extent of damage done to the economy. Is this recoverable?
Thursday
Why the government U-turned on the NHS surcharge
13 min listen
Within 24 hours of refusing to scrap the NHS surcharge for migrant healthworkers, the government has U-turned. We discuss why; as well as Scotland’s lockdown easing and the new civil servant at No 10, Simon Case.
Wednesday
Can the government get contact tracing up and running by June?
13 min listen
Boris Johnson pledges to get track and trace up by June 1, but is it possible? Plus, how is the government handling the new Opposition Leader, Keir Starmer, and how is the UK going to implement its Northern Ireland agreement with the EU?
Tuesday
Is the government blaming the scientists?
15 min listen
Monday
Is Labour's stance on reopening schools worsening the education gap?
17 min listen
The government is aiming to reopen schools on June 1, but with teachers’ unions putting up opposition to the move, this timeline is unlikely to be met. Latest research shows that, meanwhile, the education gap between the poorest children and the wealthier is widening all the time. So in its support for the teachers unions,
Saturday
Is Nicola Sturgeon playing politics?
19 min listen
With Alex Massie, the Spectator’s Scotland Editor, and Fraser Nelson. Presented by Katy Balls.
Friday
Is Boris Johnson a convert to the nanny state?
18 min listen
Wednesday
Boris on the ropes over care homes
15 min listen
Sunday
Boris sets out the shape of an exit strategy
18 min listen
It’s been six weeks since the Prime Minister first sat down to give the statement to the British public that began lockdown. Today, as James Forsyth first reported in The Spectator two weeks ago, Boris Johnson announced that the lockdown isn’t over yet. From Wednesday onwards, the one form of exercise a day rule will be removed
Friday
The government's black-box approach to lockdown
17 min listen
What is Boris Johnson going to say in his speech on Sunday? Wales’s first minister Mark Drakeford gave us a clue this morning when he announced that the Welsh lockdown will continue for at least another three weeks. Meanwhile, No. 10 has been trying to dampen speculation that the PM will announce substantial relaxations to the lockdown.
