Quite right!

Michael Gove is joined by shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy, live at Conservative party conference in Birmingham, to discuss prisons, policing and the fight against Islamist extremism. Nick reflects on swapping life as a Downing Street adviser for the Commons and makes the case that prison works, before turning to the Tories’ plan for 50,000 new prison places. Britain, he argues, must ‘come down like a ton of bricks’ on extremists – but why did 14 years of Conservative government fail to draw that line?
Plus: West Midlands Police’s ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, the Trafalgar Square iftar, and why Nick changed his mind on legalising cannabis.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson and 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kemi Badenoch has opened Conservative party conference 2026 with statement on her political philosophy, and Michael and Maddie are in Birmingham to go through it. Michael is struck by how much of it disavows the government that he served in, from net zero to the Liz Truss mini-Budget, while Maddie welcomes a leader prepared to argue for incentives over optics. Will backing higher earners revive the 'nasty party' charge – and can Kemi see off Reform's pitch to highly productive workers?

They also put the triple lock to a show of hands, with surprising results, and ask whether Shabana Mahmood has been left exposed by Andy Burnham in cabinet.

Also: the Greens have voted to describe Zionism as racism. What does that mean for the voters who backed them over rivers and recycling?

News clip credit: X.com / Sky News

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 in the House of Lords, Diana, and his advice for Harry and Meghan.
Plus: Jeffrey reflects on Margaret Thatcher, reveals the prime minister he believes is the most underrated, and considers whether Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage could ever reach an electoral agreement.
Jeffrey 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.
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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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
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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.