Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator’s columnist Rory Sutherland, political editor Tim Shipman and drinks editor Jonathan Ray.
This week: What has been the damage of Labour’s punitive war on private education? Rory questions whether the sector had helped itself in the years prior, but did the policy itself ever represent more than ‘class warfare?’ Tim explores the vigour to which the (now former) Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson embraced that label, whilst Jonathan reflects on ‘canny approaches’ to game the system.
Also: Election? What election? The panel discuss rumours that the PM may call an early general election in the wake of the ‘Burnham bounce’ in the polls giving Labour a narrow lead over Reform. If not, how does he escape the straitjacket of the 2024 manifesto? Rory further explains how government has been transformed from a ‘policeman to a traffic warden,’ and gives Burnham his top tips for an easy re-election.
Plus: The death doulas movement. To what extent does this growing trend – of which figures such as Caroline Lucas, Davina McCall and Nicole Kidman are now subscribers – represent a broader point of death positivity, or in the end, is it all just ‘mumbo jumbo?’
// CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Labour’s war on private schools
14:36 Rory Sutherland’s advice for Andy Burnham
19:48 Will Burnham call an early election?
26:23 Can northern pragmatism transform government?
33:53 Inside Britain’s death doula movement
41:56 Could wildfires ruin Bordeaux’s wine?
43:07 The perfect 11 a.m drink
50:46 How to make the perfect Bloody Mary
53:28 The case for sweet champagne
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// FREE PODCASTS FROM THE SPECTATOR
Hear more from The Spectator's journalists on their podcasts, covering everything from the politics of the UK, US and China, to religion, literature, lifestyle and more.
spectator.co.uk/podcasts
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For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by The Spectator’s columnist Rory Sutherland, political editor Tim Shipman and drinks editor Jonathan Ray.
This week: What has been the damage of Labour’s punitive war on private education? Rory questions whether the sector had helped itself in the years prior, but did the policy itself ever represent more than ‘class warfare?’ Tim explores the vigour to which the (now former) Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson embraced that label, whilst Jonathan reflects on ‘canny approaches’ to game the system.
Also: Election? What election? The panel discuss rumours that the PM may call an early general election in the wake of the ‘Burnham bounce’ in the polls giving Labour a narrow lead over Reform. If not, how does he escape the straitjacket of the 2024 manifesto? Rory further explains how government has been transformed from a ‘policeman to a traffic warden,’ and gives Burnham his top tips for an easy re-election.
Plus: The death doulas movement. To what extent does this growing trend – of which figures such as Caroline Lucas, Davina McCall and Nicole Kidman are now subscribers – represent a broader point of death positivity, or in the end, is it all just ‘mumbo jumbo?’
// CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Labour’s war on private schools
14:36 Rory Sutherland’s advice for Andy Burnham
19:48 Will Burnham call an early election?
26:23 Can northern pragmatism transform government?
33:53 Inside Britain’s death doula movement
41:56 Could wildfires ruin Bordeaux’s wine?
43:07 The perfect 11 a.m drink
50:46 How to make the perfect Bloody Mary
53:28 The case for sweet champagne
// SUBSCRIBE TO THE SPECTATOR
Get 12 issues for £12, plus a free £20 John Lewis/Waitrose voucher
spectator.co.uk/tvoffer
// FREE PODCASTS FROM THE SPECTATOR
Hear more from The Spectator's journalists on their podcasts, covering everything from the politics of the UK, US and China, to religion, literature, lifestyle and more.
spectator.co.uk/podcasts
// FOLLOW US
twitter.com/spectator
facebook.com/OfficialSpectator
linkedin.com/company/the-spectator
instagram.com/spectator1828
tiktok.com/@thespectatormagazine
