Share
Quite right!
Should we ban the burqa? – and Michael Gove pretends to be the Prime Minister
•
In this week's Q&A: should Britain follow Giorgia Meloni and ban the burqa in schools? Michael says that head teachers should set uniform policy free of pressure from outside the school gates – but would he go as far as Reform's proposed ban on face coverings in public? Maddie asks why progressive feminists have so little to say on the subject.
Also this week: the BBC has pulled 11 Mitchell and Webb sketches from iPlayer, but were they right to? Michael and Maddie discuss chronological snobbery, disclaimers on films – and Michael asks whether the corporation will come for Kenneth Clark's Civilisation as well.
Plus: Michael plays Prime Minister in Sky's The War Game. Could Britain withstand a Russian attack, and how many young people would sign up to fight?
Produced by Henry Lloyd
Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.
For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.
Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk
More episodes
View all episodes
What if Hitler had invaded? Jeffrey Archer on his final novel
47:22|Michael Gove is joined by novelist and former Conservative Party deputy chairman Jeffrey Archer to discuss his final novel, Adam and Eve, and a life spent close to the centre of British politics.Jeffrey explains how the book was inspired by September 1940, when Hitler changed his mind three times about invading Britain. They also discuss class, snobbery and the House of Lords. What does he regret about the day Diana's divorce was announced, and what advice would he give to Harry and Meghan?They also discuss Margaret Thatcher, and the Prime Minister Jeffrey thinks is most underrated, as well as whether Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage could ever reach an electoral agreement.Finally, Jeffrey speaks about his biggest regretJeffrey Archer’s final book, Adam and Eve, published by HarperCollins is out on the 6th of October 2026, pre-order here…Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Henry Lloyd
Meet the Labour MP taking on his own party | Jonathan Hinder
41:45|Michael Gove is joined by Jonathan Hinder, MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, one of the leading voices of Blue Labour, to discuss class, borders and the common good in a conversation recorded live at Labour conference.Jonathan, a former police officer, sets out his case against the economic and social 'hyper liberalism' of recent decades, before turning to industrial strategy, North Sea oil and gas, and why his constituents in terraced houses pay more property tax than multi-millionaires in London.With over a million voters said to have moved from Labour to Reform since the election, can Andy Burnham bring them back – and what would it take on immigration? They also discuss balanced migration, the Danish approach to integration, puberty blockers, and why Jonathan, a Remain voter, thinks rejoining the EU would be a distraction.And finally: why even police officers love Hot Fuzz.Produced by: Henry Lloyd and Oscar Edmondson
Spencer vs Windsor: the battle over Diana’s legacy
51:34|Earl Spencer's new memoir, Swan Song, has drawn a rare direct response from Buckingham Palace. Michael and Maddie weigh up the book's most salacious charges against the King, and ask whether the Earl is driven by money, pride, or something closer to revenge. Is this a serious blow to the monarchy – or do the public just not care what Earl Spencer has to say? Also: It is the turn of the Lib Dem conference, where a row over women's spaces has overshadowed Ed Davey's attacks on Reform's donors. Can they ever again be the party of John Stuart Mill? Finally: Lambeth Palace withdraws an award from a Pakistani cleric who had backed an honorary title for Osama bin Laden. What does it say about the Church of England?Produced by Henry Lloyd.
I can’t say this on The Rest Is Politics – Rory Stewart | Part two
25:06|In the second part of his conversation with Michael Gove, Rory Stewart defends the most taboo position in British politics: that private schools are worth protecting. He further argues that the only excuse for privilege is living up to its obligations, and that a wealth tax would destroy the idea of public service.Rory tells Michael what Nigel Farage and Reform UK get wrong about tax, why he disagrees with Peter Thiel on what the wealthy should do with their money, and why Rishi Sunak staying in parliament matters more than anyone noticed.They also discuss how to get Britain growing, why he is a big fan of building more data centres, and how Rory came to be at peace with 450 new houses being built at the end of his own driveway.Plus: What he really disagrees with Alastair Campbell about, the writers he cannot stand, and his plans for the future.You can pre-order Rory's book Middleland now
Rory Stewart on immigration, Islam and Britain's biggest problem | Part one
28:46|Michael Gove is joined by Rory Stewart, for a conversation he admits would ‘revolt’ his podcasting partner Alastair Campbell.Rory sets out the migration policy he would impose: every boat he would return to France, how he would cut the number of legal arrivals, and completely rework Britain’s broken asylum system.Rory argues that the grooming gangs debate is being conducted in bad faith, that migrant communities in Britain tend to assimilate rather than isolate, and that the culture warriors have picked a fight that distracts from Britain’s bigger problems. Part Two, in which he makes a case for the future of private education and explains how Britain can achieve growth, will be released on Thursday 17th September.You can pre-order Rory's book Middleland now
Danny Kruger: Britain is in a ‘revolutionary moment’ – and the Tories can’t save it | LIVE
39:27|Michael Gove is joined by Reform UK MP Danny Kruger to discuss the party’s plans for government and why he believes Britain is in a ‘revolutionary moment’.Kruger sets out how Reform would overhaul Whitehall, including replacing the Cabinet Secretary, reforming the civil service and taking a ‘torch’ to parts of the quango state. He also argues for major changes to the way judges are appointed and says Parliament must ultimately remain sovereign over the courts.They also discuss immigration, welfare and the NHS, as Kruger explains why Reform wants to accelerate deportations, cut benefit entitlements for those who could work and introduce more private-sector discipline into public services.And turning to the future of the right, Kruger argues that the Conservative party can no longer win, says Britain risks ‘falling apart’ without radical change, and predicts that one day conservatives will be united under the leadership of Nigel Farage.
Francis Fukuyama: how the American right ran out of ideas – and why I’m still a conservative
53:05|Michael Gove is joined by political scientist Francis Fukuyama to discuss liberalism, populism and the future of democracy in an increasingly unstable world.Francis reflects on The End of History and why its argument was so often misunderstood, before turning to the transformation of the American right under Donald Trump. Why have traditional conservative ideas lost their hold – and what explains the rise of populism across the West?They also discuss Brexit, which Francis argues Britain should reconsider, the importance of patriotism and national identity, and why liberals have too often neglected both.And looking to the future, Francis warns about the impact of artificial intelligence on work and democracy, explains why universal basic income will not solve the problem, and offers one piece of advice to young people: don’t learn how to code.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
Burnham’s ‘cheesy Blairism’ exposed – as the Tories prepare for an early election
47:17|Kemi Badenoch has kicked off the new political term with a major reshuffle of her top team. Michael and Maddie ask what the changes tell us about the direction of the Conservative party, whether Andrew Griffith can sharpen its economic offer – and whether Badenoch is already preparing for an early election.Meanwhile, Andy Burnham returns to the Commons after a relatively comfortable summer. Has the Prime Minister been governing on ‘easy mode’ so far, and is his brand of politics simply the ‘cheesy side of Blairism’ without the substance?Also: ahead of Reform’s party conference, is Nigel Farage building a credible government-in-waiting – or is the party still fighting a battle for its soul?Produced by Henry Lloyd and Oscar Edmondson.