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The Edition: Porn Britannia, Xi’s absence & no more lonely hearts?
OnlyFans is giving the Treasury what it wants – but should we be concerned?
‘OnlyFans,’ writes Louise Perry, ‘is the most profitable content subscription service in the world.’ Yet ‘the vast majority of its content creators make very little from it’. So why are around 4 per cent of young British women selling their wares on the site? ‘Imitating Bonnie Blue and Lily Phillips – currently locked in a competition to have sex with the most men in a day – isn’t pleasant.’ OnlyFans gives women ‘the sexual attention and money of hundreds and even thousands of men’. The result is ‘a cascade of depravity’ that Perry wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy.
In business terms, however, OnlyFans is a ‘staggering success’, according to economics editor Michael Simmons. ‘Britain’s sex industry brings in far more to the economy than politicians are comfortable admitting’; OnlyFans might just be Britain’s most profitable tech start-up. ‘If we are going to wage a moral war on porn,’ Simmons argues, ‘we should at least be honest about what we’re sacrificing.’ Louise and Michael joined the podcast to discuss further (1:21).
Next: could Xi Jinping’s time be up?
Historian Francis Pike writes about the unusual absence of China’s President Xi. China-watchers have detected some subtle differences from the norm in Chinese media, from fewer official references to Xi to changes in routine politburo meetings. So, could Xi Jinping be forced to step down? And if so, who is on manoeuvres and why?
Francis joined the podcast alongside former diplomat Kerry Brown, professor of China Studies at King’s College London (22:31).
And finally: is the era of the lonely hearts ad coming to an end?
Tony Whitehead provides his notes on lonely hearts columns this week, writing about how, 330 years after they first appeared in print in Britain, they may soon disappear. Francesca Beauman – who literally wrote the book on the subject, Shapely Ankle Preferr’d – and Mark Mason join the podcast to provide their favourite examples, from the serious to the humorous (35:13).
Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.
Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
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The Edition: Britain is not ready for war – and Labour isn’t doing enough
37:51|Britain is defenceless, declares the Spectator's cover piece this week. From the size of the armed forces to protection against cyber warfare, the government is not spending fast enough to meet the UK's security challenges. But is the public ready to choose warfare over welfare? And can we blame the young people who don't want to fight for their country?For this week's Edition, host William Moore is joined by opinion editor Rupert Hawksley, columnist Matthew Parris, and Whitehall editor of the Financial Times Lucy Fisher. As well as meeting Britain's defence challenge, they discuss: whether the Mandelson scandal is bigger than the Profumo affair; the organised gangs terrorising rural farmers in the UK; and, why some people just can't get enough of conspiracy theories. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Coffee House Shots: how prepared is Britain for war?
34:30|General Sir Nick Carter, former chief of the defence staff, joins Tim Shipman to discuss Britain's military preparedness – or rather, lack thereof. While a friendlier US presence at the Munich Security Conference may have provided some relief, the military threats to the UK and to Europe presented are still stark. So what choices need to be addressed to ensure that Britain is equipped to deal with these threats? Is the government doing enough to address the awareness gap with the public? And how could AI change warfare?Tim's cover piece, Defenceless: the grim truth about Britain's military, can be found here.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Quite right!: who replaces Nigel Farage?
15:36|To hear this week's podcast in full, search 'Quite right!' wherever you are listening now. This week, Michael and Maddie consider Reform UK's succession plan. With Nigel Farage unveiling his new shadow cabinet, attention shifts to the bigger question: who comes after him? Is Reform preparing for life beyond its founder – and if so, who stands ready to inherit the crown?Also this week, they examine the fallout from the court’s decision to overturn the government’s attempt to proscribe Palestine Action – and ask what it means for free speech, public order and the limits of the state.They explore whether Britain is drifting toward a de facto blasphemy law, and debate claims of ‘two-tier justice’ in the handling of extremist activism. Has the government lost control of the argument — or is it simply constrained by the courts?Produced by Oscar Edmondson.To submit your questions to Michael and Maddie, visit spectator.com/quiteright
Holy Smoke: is there any truth in the Christian revival?
32:13|There has been a lot of speculation about a 'quiet revival' of Christianity happening amongst the younger generations – including on this podcast. Much of this traces back to a survey conducted by the Bible Society last year. Respected demographer Conrad Hackett of the Pew Research Center joins Damian Thompson to explain the truth behind the statistics, and why we have to be wary of the methodology used by different polls. Some interesting facts: Christians remain the largest religious group in the world, following by Muslims and then the religiously non-affiliated; while Europe was home to the largest number of Christians as recently as 2010, sub-saharan Africa now has the highest number – a region in which the Muslim population is also growing; and, the biggest religious change happening in the world is the number of people raised Christian who are choosing to no longer identify as Christian – of which the UK is the leading country in Europe in terms of this population.For more from Conrad, you can check out his research here.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Americano: is Trump dismantling Venezuela's socialist state?
23:21|Daniel Di Martino, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, joins Freddy Gray to discuss the ongoing situation in Venezuela. Over a month on from the 'bold and spectacular raid' and capture of Maduro, Daniel explains the reasons why he has hope in the government of Delcy Rodriguez and the changes that have occurred since – from the increase in the oil price to the release of political prisoners. With only three years left of the Trump presidency, how can he be sure that the interim president isn't just playing for time?We hope our listeners will forgive the abrupt ending to this Americano episode, as the Spectator's street was briefly evacuated by police in what turned out to be a false alarm!Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Spectator Out Loud: Tina Brown, Travis Aaroe, Genevieve Gaunt & Deborah Ross
30:41|On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Tina Brown explains her bafflement at how Jeff Bezos destroyed the Washington Post; Travis Aaroe warns against Britain putting its hopes in military man Al Carns MP; Genevieve Gaunt explores survival of the fittest as she reviews books by Justin Garcia and Paul Eastwick; and finally, Deborah Ross declares herself a purist as she reviews Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.
Coffee House Shots: why Gordon Brown has never been so relevant
16:33|James Macintyre joins James Heale to discuss his new biography of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown: Power With Purpose. While the book has been years in the making, little did James know that it would end up published at the same time that its themes and subjects could never be more relevant.James tells our deputy political editor about the relationship between Brown and Blair, what the Labour leader makes of Keir Starmer’s problems today and his reflections – with hindsight – about bringing the now-disgraced Peter Mandelson back into government in 2008. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
The Edition: Labour turns on Starmer – inside the collapse, with Guto Harri, Tim Shipman & Toby Young
44:18|‘Authority is like virginity. Once it’s gone, it’s gone’ – that's just one of the damning quotes about Keir Starmer that Tim Shipman has extracted from sources inside the Labour government. Much of Starmer's bad luck this week is arguably of his own making, so why is he seemingly so bad at being the Prime Minister? For this week's Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by political editor Tim Shipman, associate editor – and Conservative peer – Toby Young, and the broadcaster Guto Harri, who – as a former director of communications at Number Ten himself – knows a thing or two about the brutal reality of being at the heart of government. As well as Starmer's torrid week, they discuss: why defence minister Al Carns of the 2024 intake is being talked up as a potential successor to Starmer; whether Kemi Badenoch has improved as Tory leader – and can she avoid being the Iain Duncan-Smith of the 2020s; how the Epstein files have proven royal biographer Andrew Lownie right; why we are seeing a boom in children's toys for adults and whether it matters; what the panellists make of the new Wuthering Heights adaptation; and finally, is there anything wrong with a man wearing a wig?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Book Club: Fast Food Nation – revisited
41:33|In this week’s Book Club podcast Sam Leith's guest is Eric Schlosser, the investigative journalist whose Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal is being reissued as a Penguin Modern Classic 25 years after its first publication. He tells Sam what’s changed and what hasn’t since he first published this groundbreaking exposé of fast food’s effects on so many aspects of American society, why he was destined to suffer the fate of Upton Sinclair, how Keir Starmer fits in – and how he proudly built a chapter around six vital words.