With this autumn’s political conferences moving online, we’re bringing together politicians, academics, think tanks and members of the public to discuss a year that has fundamentally changed Britain, and where we go from here.
The Covid-19 crisis has turned the nation’s priorities on their head - but now more than ever, innovative public policy is needed to get the UK’s health and economy back on track. Education, healthcare, the labour market, trade, technology and the future relationship with the EU will all play a crucial role in shaping Britain after Covid, and now is the time for those policies to be debated.
Online event: 28 - 30 September 2020
The Spectator’s Alternative Conference brings together politicians, academics, think tanks and members of the public to discuss a year that has fundamentally changed Britain, and to discover where we go from here. Download our brochure here.
No ifs. No buts. Heathrow must have a third runway
Almost everyone agrees that London and the South East need more airport capacity – especially more runways. London's airports are already overflowing, while passenger numbers grow steadily year on year. We desperately need new runways – but where and how?
Renowned writer and broadcaster William Shawcross lead the discussion of Annan’s new book, Interventions: A Life in War and Peace, and a career devoted to international politics.
The Leveson Inquiry has provoked the most heated debate about journalism in British history. His call for new statutory regulation of print media has left a stand-off between politicians and the press.
The nation’s top Eurocrats, politicians and media figures debated this most contentious of topics: whether Britain should stay in the EU, or go it alone.
In May 2010 Michael Gove was appointed Secretary of State for Education. Three years later we have seen a massive expansion in the number of academies, the introduction of free schools and a complete overhaul of the examination system. It's obvious the English education system has changed - quite possibly forever.
Assad is a war criminal- the West must intervene in Syria
After finding evidence of the Assad regime using chemical weapons President Obama has announced the US will provide assistance to the Syrian rebels, while David Cameron and colleagues are yet to commit to doing the same.
The Spectator is proud to have hosted a special evening with Professor Simon Schama, celebrating the launch of his new book, Story of the Jews: Finding the Words (1000 BCE – 1492).
The North East of England is Labour’s heartland, where their vote is still wheel barrowed, not carried in on election day. There are only four non-Labour MPs in the region, yet the area remains in terminal economic decline. Many areas have failed to recover from the loss of traditional manufacturing industries. Who is blame, Labour for not reversing the trend or others for causing it in the first place?
Bringing together cigar aficionados and celebrity cigar smokers from around the world, The Spectator Cigar Smoker of the Year Dinner, founded by Boisdale, was held in the lavish surroundings of Boisdale Canary Wharf on 19th November 2013.
Is addiction really a disease, or is it simply a behaviour that we need to find a way of modifying? Some argue that addiction has a biological basis; others are convinced that fighting addiction is just a matter of sheer willpower.
What good are the arts really? In a world in which a degree is no longer a guarantee of employment, is it not more sensible for students to undertake vocational study?
A league of our own: How British schools can lead the world
Education policy continues to be top of the political agenda, particularly after the latest PISA report ranked Britain 26th in maths, 23rd for reading and 21st for science. What exactly does the survey illustrate and where do we go from here?
The government believes that much of the blame must be laid at the door of an education system that has been ‘divorced from the reality of real work’ for far too long. The introduction of a more careers-focused curriculum into schools may help to avoid such a crisis, but what is the best way to implement it?
Stop whining young people, you've never had it so good!
The media is full of stories that young people in Britain today are the unluckiest generation in recent history. Is it really true or do the millenials just need to stop whining?
Artificial Intelligence is no longer science fiction – it is a reality. Today, from speech recognition to concept communication and robotics, the evolution of computing power is showing no signs of slowing down.
Beyond the Ropes: A Closer Look at National Trust Collections
The National Trust looks after some 200 individual collections, with more than a million objects in its care. Together, they include nearly 14,000 paintings – the single largest collection in the UK.
Britain is one of the world’s major exporters, a global leader in professional services, aerospace, defence equipment, education and creative industries. But there is much more that can be done to promote British brands to the world and spread our products and services throughout the globe.
Richard Purdey and The Spectator invited guests to celebrate 200 years of gun and rifle making at Purdey’s flagship store in Mayfair for champagne and canapés. The party was held in the historic Long Room, which has been visited by many of the greatest shots of the past two centuries.
Competition in transport is the obvious way to deliver growth
The grounding of Boris Island in the Thames estuary has narrowed the options for expanding the UK’s airport capacity. Which will be cleared for take-off?
The Spectator joined forces with LoveBeginsAt.com to bring an exclusive wine tasting event held at Spectator headquarters next to St James’s Park. LoveBeginsAt is a new dating service dedicated to singles over 45. Wine lovers and Spectator readers joined together for a very special and unique evening in London.
Iraq and Syria are lost causes: western intervention can't help
Barack Obama says that the so-called Islamic State is a ‘cancer’. He may have started air strikes but he still doesn’t have a clear plan. Having bungled our last invasion of Iraq, many argue that America and Britain have a moral duty to save the region from the religious fanatics now taking over. Since hundreds of British jihadists are now fighting for the new caliphate, the success of Isis presents a domestic terror threat, too.
The Spectator, in association with How to: Academy hosted an unmissable opportunity to hear Michael Sandel, the world famous philosopher, discuss his best-selling book, What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets and within this context address the question ‘How do we want to live together?’
The Churchill Factor: An Evening with Boris Johnson
The Spectator was proud to host a special evening with Boris Johnson in conversation with Andrew Neil, to celebrate the launch of his new book The Churchill Factor. This was an evening not just for anyone with an interest in history: it is essential for anyone who wants to know what makes a great leader.
The British economy in the run up to the election - and after
From the latest terror threats to the UK to the repercussions of the Scottish referendum and the upcoming general election, Andrew Neil, Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth shared insider tips and gave their predictions for the year ahead.
In this major talk looking back from the fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago, Neil MacGregor gave a talk on his new book Germany: Memories of a Nation, which explored 600 years of the country's history using objects, art, historical texts, landmarks and literature to explore Germany's rich cultural history and try to understand how its past has shaped modern Europe.
Bringing together cigar aficionados and celebrity cigar smokers from around the world, The Spectator Cigar Awards Dinner, founded by Boisdale, was held in the lavish surroundings of Boisdale Canary Wharf on Sunday 16th November.
How vulnerable are we to supply shocks – and where are the biggest threats? How long will it take before unconventional energy production replaces traditional supplies? How can we make sense of the global energy geopolitics?
The UK Domestic Energy Landscape: Fixing Britain's Energy Market
What would be the optimum energy mix for the UK? What role should we allocate in this scenario to unconventional gas supplies? Should we rely more on smart technology to effectively manage the interfaces between supply and demand?
As politicians move into election campaign mode, we invite you to an evening discussion considering the likely effects of the election on the British economy ̶ and your investments.
Hennessy Cognac celebrates 250 years of an exceptional adventure that has lasted seven generations and spanned five continents. To toast this remarkable birthday, The Spectator invites readers to an evening hosted by Maurice Hennessy, the eighth generation of his family to work in the company.
Politicians should leave the wealthy alone- they already contribute more than their fair share
While the rich get even richer, low and middle income households are feeling the pinch. Are wealth taxes - such as the 'mansion tax' or the 50p tax - the answer?
On 1st June, The Spectator’s Andrew Neil, Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth dissected the election aftermath and looked ahead to the first 100 days of the new all-Conservative government.
On 11 June, global religious leader, philosopher and author, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks gave a talk in conversation with Andrew Neil at Milton Court in London.
To mark the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, renowned historian David Starkey discussed his new book, Magna Carta, exploring the charter and its influence on Britain today.
The Spectator wine courses are a unique opportunity to learn about wine with each of The Spectator’s Wine Club partners. Each merchant will give one class on their specialist region.
Moore on Thatcher at Conservative Party Conference
At this year’s Conservative Party Conference Charles Moore, in conversation with Andrew Neil, discussed the long awaited second volume of his biography on Margaret Thatcher.
Acclaimed author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg discussed his latest novel Now is the Time, a rich and compelling tale set in the heart of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381.
The Power of Manufacturing brought together leading executives from the manufacturing industry to discuss the successes, failures and opportunities of British manufacturing today.
David Cameron is set to hold the in-or-out referendum on Britain’s future membership of the European Union as early as June next year, but what will it mean for British business?
Charles Moore, editor of The Spectator from 1984 to 1990, had exclusive access to Margaret Thatcher and her private papers to write her official biography.
An evening with Ben Bernanke on a crisis and its aftermath
On 27 October, The Spectator and How to Academy hosted an evening with Ben Bernanke, former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, in conversation with Andrew Neil on the 2008 crisis and its aftermath.
How will the Chinese economic downturn affect the UK?
As China’s equity markets cool down and its currency is devalued, The Spectator hosted an evening discussion considering how recent developments in China will affect the outlook for Western economies and investors.
On Friday 13 November, The Spectator hosted a winemaker lunch with Patricia Teiller from family-owned Domaine Jean Teiller, producers of exquisite red, white and rose Menetou-Salon in the Loire.
As the broadcaster approaches its royal charter renewal in 2016, is there a place for the BBC in its current form or does it need cutting down to size?
On 26 November, Andrew Neil, Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth analysed George Osborne's Autumn Statement and the effects of the government's spending plans.
On 9 February 2016, an expert panel of speakers, chaired by Andrew Neil, discussed 'Can we trust health advice?' at The Spectator's annual health debate.
Join us for the biggest debate in The Spectator’s history. Hear from speakers Nick Clegg, Nigel Farage, Daniel Hannan, Kate Hoey, Liz Kendall and Chuka Umunna.
Join us in the Spectator boardroom for another in our series of Spectator Winemaker lunches with Sami Ghosn of Massaya, the celebrated Lebanese winery and arak distillery.
Join us in the Spectator boardroom for the next in this year’s series of Spectator Winemaker lunches with Oliver Humbrecht MW of leading Alsace producer, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht.
Join us in the Spectator boardroom for the next in this year’s series of SpectatorWinemaker’s lunches with Francois Lurton, the fifth generation of his celebrated family to make wine.
Join us in the Spectator boardroom for a very special Pol Roger lunch, hosted by the ebullient James Simpson MW, managing director of Pol Roger Portfolio.
Join us for a special four-course Spectator lunch, English sparkling wine tasting and tour of the world-famous gardens at Gravetye Manor in West Sussex.
The Spectator Wine School is a chance to be tutored by the best in the wine business. It is aimed at enthusiastic beginners and anyone who wants to know more about the main wine regions.
Join us in the Spectator boardroom for our rescheduled Winemaker’s lunch with Matthieu Barrère from Domaine Chanson, producer of exceptional, handcrafted Burgundies for over 250 years.
