The Edition

‘No-one voted for them’ – Douglas Murray on the men actually running Britain

The Edition

Show Notes

Who really runs Britain: the government, foreign courts or international lawyers? This question is at the heart of Michael Gove’s cover piece for the Spectator this week, analysing the role of those at the centre of Labour’s foreign policy. Attorney general Lord Hermer, national security adviser Jonathan Powell and internationally renowned barrister Philippe Sands may seek to uphold international law but is this approach outdated as we enter an era of hard power? For Gove, they are the three ‘guilty men’ who are undermining Britain’s national interest at the expense of a liberal international law that never really existed.

For this week’s Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by deputy editor Freddy Gray, columnist Douglas Murray and editor of the Spectator’s Life section Arabella Byrne.

The also discuss: whether Labour’s reset can really work ahead of next month’s by-election; how taking in so many disaffected Tories could backfire for Reform; why people care more about ICE in America than Iran – and if this proof that society has become conditioned; whether we should bemoan the demise of the landline; and finally, how parents should approach the issue of their children drinking.

Produced by Patrick Gibbons. 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: [email protected]

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

More from The Edition

Oct 23, 2026

For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator’s economics editor Michael Simmons, writer Louis Sarkozy and broadcaster Sir Loyd Grossman.

Oct 16, 2026

For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s commissioning editor Lara Brown, Financial Times columnist and peer Camilla Cavendish and broadcaster and former Labour MP Gloria De Piero.

Oct 9, 2026

For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator’s commissioning editor Tali Fraser, Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens and the historian and Conservative peer Andrew Roberts.

Oct 1, 2026

For this week’s Edition, Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator’s political editor Tim Shipman, restaurant critic Angus Colwell and Telegraph associate editor Poppy Coburn.

Sep 25, 2026

For this week’s Edition, William Moore is joined by the Spectator’s deputy editor Freddy Gray, commissioning editor Lara Brown and deputy political editor James Heale.

See all episodes →