Coffee House Shots: Britain’s decline – and how to reverse it | with John Bew

Coffee House Shots: Britain’s decline – and how to reverse it | with John Bew

Author: The Spectator March 21, 2026 Duration: 48:17

In this special edition of Coffee House Shots, our political editor Tim Shipman is joined by historian, biographer and foreign policy adviser to four different prime ministers, John Bew. In his 7,000-word essay published in the New Statesman last week, John sets out the historical context which has contributed to the malaise and decline of the British state – and hypothesises that we are currently living in the ‘fourth great disruption’ to the political and economic order. He takes Tim through the previous three disruptions and the lessons that government needs to learn from them in order to stop the rot. Does the secret to forging a new place in the world order lie in fixing the machinery of government? Which figures from the past should we take inspiration from?


Produced by Megan McElroy.


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


Each day, Best of the Spectator offers a curated selection from the wider world of Spectator audio, bringing sharp conversation and thoughtful analysis directly to your headphones. This isn't a single-topic show but a daily dispatch from the front lines of ideas, where politics, culture, and society intersect. You'll hear from the magazine's writers and a host of intriguing guests as they debate current affairs, delve into the nuances of religion, explore the latest in literature, and even share opinions on food and drink. The pace is brisk and the perspectives are unapologetically considered, providing a substantive alternative to the fleeting noise of the news cycle. By compiling the most engaging discussions from their stable of podcasts, The Spectator ensures there's always a fresh, worthwhile listen. Tune in for the kind of witty, informed, and often provocative commentary that has defined the magazine for generations. This podcast serves as your daily audio digest of everything worth talking about, delivered with intellectual vigor and a dash of British flair. It’s a consistent source for those who prefer their commentary to be both timely and timeless.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Best of the Spectator
Podcast Episodes
The Book Club: Journeys Through Ancient Literature [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:21
My guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Emily Wilson, the scholar and translator of Homer and Seneca, among many others. She tells me what tech bros get wrong about the classical world and what Cardi B can teach us…
Quite right!: Henry Nowak & Britain’s two-tier policing crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 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 somet…
Reality Check: why price caps are pointless [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:01
The government have rolled back on plans to impose price caps in supermarkets. Was Reeves wrong to go after them for price gouging? Michael Simmons has the data. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio…
Americano: who is Usha Vance? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:39
Freddy Gray is joined by Sarah Beth Spraggins to discuss her piece on Usha Vance, the wife of JD Vance who could be in line to be the next First Lady. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Book Club: Siri Hustvedt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:41
Sam Leith's guest on this week’s Book Club podcast is Siri Hustvedt, talking about her new book, Ghost Stories, a memoir of her long and loving marriage to the novelist Paul Auster, and of his death from cancer. Siri tel…