With so much happening across the Battle of Ideas weekend, nobody could catch everything. Fortunately, the conversations don’t have to end once we’ve left Church House.
Several of the podcasts that joined us have now released their festival recordings. From Westminster politics and free speech to workplace culture and growing up, there’s plenty to get your teeth into. Pick a discussion you missed, revisit a favourite, and share it with someone who would enjoy the debate.
Planet Normal – live at the Battle of Ideas
Allison Pearson and Liam Halligan are joined by Lucy Connolly and historian Robert Tombs for a discussion spanning Connolly’s book A Tweet Too Far, free speech and the teaching of British history.
Listen to the episode →
The spiked podcast: politics and the culture wars
Francis Foster, Andrew Gold and Poppy Coburn join Tom Slater and Fraser Myers to debate Andy Burnham, immigration and the politics of Palestine. The full discussion, including the audience Q&A, is available to spiked supporters or YouTube members.
Watch the episode →
This Isn’t Working: are women to blame for ‘woke’ workplaces?
Tanya de Grunwald and Joanna Williams examine the claim that women are responsible for changing workplace culture. Along the way, they explore the power of HR, failures of leadership and what happens when organisations lose sight of their purpose.
Listen to the episode →
The Free Speech Union – six years on
What does defending free speech involve in practice? Connie Shaw joins Jan Macvarish, David Rose and Ben Jones to discuss the FSU’s growth, its approach to casework and the changing pressures on freedom of expression, with questions from the festival audience.
Listen to the episode →
The Brink: Islam in Britain after October 7
Jake Wallis Simons and Andrew Fox are joined by Fiyaz Mughal, founder of Faith Matters and Tell MAMA, to discuss extremism, assimilation and life in British Muslim communities.
Watch the episode →
Coffee House Shots: who won conference season?
The Spectator’s James Heale and Lara Brown join pollster Scarlett Maguire to take stock of the party conferences and look ahead to the Budget. What do the parties’ performances tell us about their prospects—and the choices facing British politics?
Listen to the episode →
The State of It: AI rows and pre-budget jitters
Steven Swinford and Patrick Maguire from The Times bring their Westminster reporting to the festival, discussing the approaching Budget, divisions over AI, Reform’s prospects and the politics of welfare reform.
Listen to the episode →
Last Orders: some very special ‘guests’
Impressionist Tony Lapidus and commentator Gawain Towler join Chris Snowdon and Tom Slater for a live edition featuring impressions of Peter Hitchens, Douglas Murray and Donald Trump. Topics include daylight-saving time, folic acid and the latest nanny-state controversies.
Listen to the episode →
Take Me Home: growing up in the culture wars
Hilary Salt and Sebastian Moore are joined by Jennie Bristow and Ellie Lee, authors of Growing Up in the Culture Wars. They explore identity, relationships between generations and the challenges facing young people as they become adults.
Watch the episode →
Arts First: Myth, romance and ‘imaginative speculation’ - fictionalising the Dark Ages
Author Dolan Cummings talks about his latest novel, The Sacred Virgin and the Spurned Bride, and the challenges of fictionalising the distant past.
Watch the episode →
And there’s more to come…
Don’t miss out on our other live editions by subscribing now to The Life Sci Fantastic and The Booking Club.
Enjoy listening – and do follow the podcasts to keep the conversations going.