‘This is not a war!’ – why politicians are turning on the media | with Gabriel Pogrund

‘This is not a war!’ – why politicians are turning on the media | with Gabriel Pogrund

Author: The Spectator August 13, 2026 Duration: 17:17

Politicians are increasingly turning on the journalists who scrutinise them. After investigations into Nigel Farage’s finances, Reform figures have accused reporters of waging a political ‘war’ – while Arron Banks has hired private investigators to look into Times journalist Gabriel Pogrund. Is hostility towards the media becoming a feature of modern politics? And is the relationship between politicians and the press becoming more poisonous?

Gabriel joins Oscar Edmondson and Tim Shipman, who writes for the magazine this week about the fraying contract between society and its fourth estate.

Produced by 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.


For a clear-eyed take on the day’s political developments, Coffee House Shots delivers concise, sharp discussion straight from the heart of Westminster. This daily podcast from The Spectator gathers the magazine’s most astute political observers-voices like Michael Gove, Tim Shipman, Isabel Hardman, and James Heale-around a virtual table for the kind of frank, insider conversation that happens away from the cameras. Each episode cuts through the noise of the 24-hour news cycle to examine the real forces shaping policy, elections, and power struggles. Listeners get more than just a recap of headlines; they’re offered analysis of the strategic calculations, the personal rivalries, and the underlying trends that the major bulletins often miss. The tone is informed and direct, reflecting the depth of experience within The Spectator’s team. It’s designed for anyone who wants to understand not just what is happening in British politics, but why it matters and what might happen next. Tune in for a regular dose of perspective that feels less like a formal briefing and more like overhearing a crucial chat in the corridors of influence. This podcast provides that essential context, making sense of the rapid flow of daily news with authority and clarity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Coffee House Shots
Podcast Episodes
Is the AI dream over for Andy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:30
Andy Burnham pitched Britain to the UN this week as an 'honest broker' on artificial intelligence, only for Washington to ask OpenAI and Anthropic to make Britain's AI Security Institute wait its turn. Michael Simmons is…
Can Kemi hoover up votes with benefits reform? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:02
After fresh polling from YouGov put the Tories ahead of Reform UK today, the leader of the opposition has set out plans to get people off of unemployment benefits, and limit what successful claimants can spend it on. Jam…
Chagos U-turn: has Burnham seen sense? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:21
Donald Trump has forced a rethink of the Chagos deal, after publicly criticising the agreement during his meeting with Andy Burnham. Is Labour preparing to abandon one of Keir Starmer’s most controversial foreign policy…
Will Trump give Burnham the time of day? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:16
Andy Burnham is off to meet Donald Trump. What can he expect from his first face-to-face with the US president? Tim Shipman and Freddy Gray discuss the diplomatic choreography behind the meeting, the issues likely to com…
What's the mood at Lib Dem conference? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:00
Patrick Gibbons is joined from Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton by deputy political editor James Heale and Michael Stephens, a senior associate fellow at RUSI and who is now the party’s prospective parliamentary c…
Calum Miller on growth, Burnham & closer EU defence ties [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:37
From the hallways of the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, the Spectator's deputy political editor James Heale speaks to foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller MP about the party’s pitch on growth, what Andy Burnh…
Isabel Hardman's Sunday Roundup - 20/09/2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:39
Isabel Hardman presents highlights from Sunday morning's political shows.Ed Davey talks popularity contests, and Bridget Phillipson defends the government ahead of Andy Burnham's first meeting with Donald Trump.Become a…
Is Burnham ready to talk about war? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:45
Military and intelligence chiefs across Europe are sounding increasingly stark warnings about the threat posed by Russia, from cyber attacks and sabotage to drones and hybrid warfare. But is Britain taking the danger ser…
Have women ever had it so good? | with Julie Bindel & Miriam Cates [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:49
In this episode, we return to a live Spectator event asking: have women ever had it so good?The Spectator’s commissioning editor Lara Brown is joined by Zoe Strimpel, author of Good Slut; Spiked columnist Ella Whelan; fe…