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Is Barack Obama’s intervention in the Brexit debate a welcome one or should he keep his nose out of our business? Tim Montgomerie says in his Spectator cover piece that such overreach is typical of the US President’s arrogance. But Anne Applebaum disagrees and says that Obama speaks on behalf of many Americans when he calls on Britain to stay engaged in European politics. So should we listen to Obama? Joining Isabel Hardman to discuss is Spectator deputy editor Freddy Gray and the Telegraph’s Janet Daley.
Speaking on the podcast, Janet Daley says:
‘He is perfectly entitled to have a view and he should express it at home. It’s going to be almost entirely counter-productive: the British don’t like being lectured by foreign leaders anyway about how they should vote. And given how Obama’s weakest point has been his foreign policy I would have thought this is the last thing in the world he would have been wanting to make a recommendation on for any country.’
And is David Cameron heading for a hollow victory in the EU referendum? The Spectator’s Political Editor James Forsyth says that whilst a vote for Brexit would be disastrous for the PM, even victory will come at a heavy price. The Tory leadership has long hoped the party could be put back together after June’s vote. But is that prospect now looking less likely than ever? James speaks to Isabel and Spectator editor Fraser Nelson.
On the podcast, James says:
‘I think in the last few days, the Blue-on-Blue attacks have become a lot more violent and they’ve touched on people’s fitness to govern.’
We all know it’s now 400 years since Shakespeare died, but just how did the Bard actually kick the bucket? That’s the theme of Lloyd Evans’ piece in the Spectator this week, in which he weighs up the various theories about how Britain’s most famous playwright passed away. Was it drink or maybe the pox? Or is the truth just that nobody will ever know? Lloyd speaks to Isabel and is joined by Shakespeare scholar Dr Daniel Swift to discuss.
And we’re very proud to have Berry Brothers as sponsors of our podcast. They’ve been supplying The Spectator’s wine for years, and it’s great to have them with us.
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