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Burnham's dream cabinet – and why Prince George should go to Eton
28:32|This week: Burnham’s cabinet, Prince George’s schooling – and the buildings that make Britain beautiful.As Andy Burnham prepares to enter Downing Street, Michael and Madeline ask who should make up his dream Labour cabinet. Might he draw from the impressive pool of Blue Labour talent: Jonathan Hinder at business, Maurice Glasman at education – and, of course, Shabana Mahmood as prime minister. Do Labour need to be a little more patriotic? Also on the podcast: should Prince George go to Eton? Michael and Madeline discuss whether a future king needs a ‘normal’ education, why the choice should be left to his parents and whether Britain should stop chipping away at the privileges of monarchy.And finally: from Wagner’s Festspielhaus to Georgian rectories, Durham Cathedral and the Sagrada Familia, what makes a building truly great?Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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Starmer’s fall – and the rise of King Burnham
43:04|This week: Starmer’s exit, Burnham’s rise – and the court of King Andy.As Keir Starmer resigns after less than two years in office, Michael and Madeline ask what really brought his premiership to an end. Was Starmer simply overtaken by events, or did his downfall reveal something deeper: a disdain for politics, a mishandling of Southport and the grooming gangs scandal, and a growing gulf between Labour’s governing class and the country?They also discuss Andy Burnham’s march on Westminster. Is he the charismatic, communitarian figure Labour needs to take on Reform – or a political people-pleaser surrounded by the wrong people?Plus: what does the Conservatives’ victory in Aberdeen South tell us about net zero, Reform and whether the Tories really are doomed to become Nigel Farage’s roadkill?Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
SPECIAL: was Enoch Powell right about Britain?
50:09|Enoch Powell is one of the most polarising figures in modern British politics. His infamous ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech – in which he warned that immigration would spark ethnic conflict – continues to shape some of today’s most important debates on race, identity and immigration.Michael Gove and assistant editor Madeline Grant sit down with Simon Heffer, author of Like the Roman: The Life of Enoch Powell, to explore Powell’s legacy. They examine how he became a model for populist rhetoric and discuss why understanding Enoch Powell is central to understanding the right today. This podcast was originally recorded as a live event. To find out more about future Spectator events go to: spectator.com/events
Brexit 10 years on – have we changed our minds?
18:49|In this special edition of Quite right!, Michael Gove and Rachel Johnson revisit the argument that divided British politics – and their own families – as the tenth anniversary of the Brexit referendum approaches.Rachel, who campaigned for Remain, gives her verdict on what Brexit has really delivered: not the buccaneering liberation Leavers promised, nor the apocalypse warned of by Project Fear, but something she calls ‘a bit meh’.Michael, makes the case that the benefits of sovereignty are still accumulating – from AI and gene editing to financial services and regulation. Have either of them changed their mind? Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
‘It will be a bloodbath’ – why Starmer won’t go quietly
29:42|This week: Keir Starmer’s legacy, Andy Burnham’s next move – and should there be a general election? With the Makerfield by-election just days away, Michael Gove is joined by Rachel Johnson to ask whether an Andy Burnham victory would spell the end of Keir Starmer’s premiership. Could Starmer really fight on – or is the Labour party heading for a regicidal ‘bloodbath’? They discuss Starmer’s record in government, whether Labour has become the ‘welfare party’, and if Burnham could offer the party anything more than a political glow-up.Also on the podcast: Kemi Badenoch’s revival, the threat from Reform, and whether the right is actually ready for a general election. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
‘DEI mindset is killing people’ – Henry Nowak & Britain’s two-tier policing crisis
37:48|This week: the Henry Nowak case, two-tier policing – and what the latest Mandelson files reveal about Labour.After the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, Michael and Madeline ask whether the police response exposed something deeply wrong in British policing. Has the fear of being accused of racism distorted the way institutions respond to victims? And does this case reveal a wider crisis of confidence in whether the police can act without fear or favour?They also discuss the latest revelations from the Mandelson files. What do the messages tell us about Labour’s welfare problem, Pat McFadden’s private frustrations and Wes Streeting’s views inside government? Has Labour become ‘the Benefits Party’ – and are there still secrets buried in the Mandelson files?Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
When was Britain’s finest hour? – and how to beat Burnham
32:31|This week: what makes a great battle? From Waterloo, Trafalgar, the Battle of Britain to Stalingrad, Michael and Maddie discuss what separates a decisive victory from a merely dramatic one, and why great military leaders still matter.Also on the podcast: after Dominic Cummings claimed the Manchester mayor was not a formidable opponent, Michael reflects on facing Burnham across the despatch box. Can Burnham survive the leap from local hero to national leader?And finally: do celebrity endorsements actually move the dial?