Best of the Spectator

One month on from Andy Burnham entering Downing Street and a lot has changed at the top of government. Starmer's old guard have been reshuffled or replaced, and Burnham's government have announced dozens of new projects, but the big challenges that he faces are largely the same. Noa Hoffman is joined by Baroness Thangam Debbonaire, the former shadow culture secretary, to review Andy's report card.Produced by Henry Lloyd.

William Moore is joined by The Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, commissioning editor Tali Fraser and actress Maureen Lipman.This week: has the West lost the will to defend itself? The panel discuss the threats posed by China, Russia and Islamism – and whether Western societies have become too reluctant to defend their own values. Maureen also warns about the rise of antisemitism, arguing that universities are ‘grooming’ a generation of anti-Semites.Also: Tali reports back from a screening of Chris Packham’s People’s Emergency Briefing. Has environmental campaigning become too patronising – and are politicians forcing through policies they have failed to persuade the public to support?Plus: can James Bond survive modern Britain?Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.

Britain is in the grip of another hot, dry summer, with hosepipe bans in force and fears growing about the country’s water supply. But are we really running out of water?Michael Simmons is joined by Reality Check reporter John Power to explain what is actually behind the shortages, whether Britain needs more reservoirs and why nationalising the water companies may not be the answer. They also ask what the drought tells us about the future of net zero – and how Britain should adapt to a changing climate.This episode is brought to you by Artemis Fund Managers, for more information on our fund range please click here https://www.artemisfunds.com

After saying that Zia Yusuf needed to 'become a team player' in an interview on Coffee House yesterday, Reform UK responded, and decided that they would rather Tim Montgomerie were not in their squad at all. After the story broke this morning that Montgomerie had his membership of the party suspended, Noa Hoffman is joined by Tim Shipman and James Heale to react to the latest developments on the right of British politics.Produced by Henry Lloyd

What happens when a bishop breaks with Rome but still claims apostolic succession? Damian Thompson is joined by historian Magnus Lundberg, Professor of Church and Mission History at Uppsala University in Sweden, to explore the strange world of ‘wandering bishops’, rival popes and tiny schismatic churches. They trace the tangled web of consecrations that have produced thousands of bishops outside the authority of Rome, and explore the grandiose titles and ceremonies of these independent bishops. They also examine the roots of sedevacantism, the legacy of Archbishop Lefebvre and the Society of St Pius X, and ask whether the latest breakaway bishops could create yet another schism. Plus, where exactly does the Catholic Church draw a line between a bishop whose orders are illicit and one whose orders are invalid? Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Britain wants to become an AI superpower – but does it have the electricity to power one? Data centres underpin everything from online banking and streaming to artificial intelligence, and demand for them is exploding. The government has designated them as critical national infrastructure and is promising billions of pounds of investment, but Britain’s ageing grid is already struggling to keep up.Michael Simmons asks whether the UK can build enough power stations, transmission lines and substations to support the AI revolution – and what the consequences could be for electricity bills, water supplies and local communities. He is joined by entrepreneur Michael Tobin and American energy journalist Robert Bryce to discuss why Britain needs data centres, the growing backlash against them and whether the country risks being left behind in the global AI race.This episode is brought to you by Alliance Witan investment trust. To learn more about the trust and how we’re helping investors find their comfort zone, please visit Alliance Witan (ALW) | Investment Trust.

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman argues that politicians’ contempt for the press is really contempt for the public; Arabella Byrne asks if you have old money face; Alex Burghart says that Harold Godwinson has a touch of the Viking about him, as he reviews Harold: Warrior King by Tom Licence; and finally, Lloyd Evans reads his confessions of a dog hater. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

Almost one year on from his election as leader of the Green Party, has Zack Polanski broadened its appeal? Communications strategist and Green Party insider Russell Warfield joins Noa Hoffman to discuss his new book The Green Socialist: Zack Polanski & the Battle for Britain’s Future. In it, Warfield makes the argument that Polanski marks more of a continuum for the modern British Green Party – a natural next step for a party seeking to broaden its appeal, rather than the more radical change candidate he has been portrayed as across parts of the media.Polanski undoubtably achieved new heights for the party – Gorton & Denton was their first ever by-election win – but recent polls show them losing momentum, and the election of Andy Burnham as Labour leader is seen to have stunted their progress. What should Polanski do next?Produced by Henry Lloyd and Patrick Gibbons.