The Telegram Podcast

As civil war continues in Syria and a caliphate burst into existence in Iraq, suddenly all eyes are on Israel. Israeli citizens have been murdered; bombs rain down on Gaza. We ask, how has this tragic situation come about and what can both sides do to bring it to a conclusion.

Tim is joined by the Telegraph's Con Coughlin and Andrew Critchlow to discuss what the West can do to help the crisis-stricken country. Also, Tim talks to Lord Saatchi and Charles Moore about the legacy of Lady Thatcher.

How do you teach British schoolchildren to be more British? On this week's podcast, Toby Young and Janet Daley discuss the alleged Trojan Horse plot to Islamise Birmingham schools. How could it happen and what can be done (as Ofsted advised) to integrate those children into our multicultural society? Janet Daley argues that that the schools' ethos was actually a little too “multicultural” – that our liberal obsession with saying all cultures are equal risks betraying a generation of Muslim children. And on a completely different note, Ed Cumming talks to Tim Stanley about the muscular rise of the spornosexual. Tim and Ed both take male grooming very seriously, but argue that selfie narcissism might be a step workout too far…

This week Tim is joined by Benedict Brogan, Damian Thompson, Mark Littlewood and Philip Johnston. Topics covered: exactly how tragic are Clegg & friends and should politicians start hitting the bottle again?

On Monday night the Tories pulled ahead of Labour in the polls for the first time in two years. Constantly banging on about the cost of living crisis and renationalising public services don't resonate with the British public as much as a growing economy, it seems. Last week, Ed Miliband boasted about his superior "intellectual self-confidence", but as Benedict Brogan asked on his blog, is the Labour leader simply oblivious to the perilous situation he's in? And what about next week's European elections? Once trailed as the moment that David Cameron would lose control of his party, could a poor showing for Labour turn out to be the final nail in Mr Miliband's coffin? Is it over for Labour? Has Ed got it wrong? Or is this all a temporary blip? This week, Tim will talk about the future of socialism with our Labour specialist Dan Hodges, the Telegraph's political guru Benedict Brogan and the editor of the Spectator, Fraser Nelson.

This week Tim is joined by David Blair and Con Coughlin to discuss if the West has to guts to impose sanctions that would hurt the Russian economy. The audio is taken from a live Google hangout. Apologies for the quality.

Why are the Eurosceptics still flocking to Farage and preparing to humiliate the Tories in next month's European elections? This week Tim is joined by Benedict Brogan, Louise Mensch and Dominic Raab. Note: this recording is from a live Google Hangout. Apologies for the compromised audio quality.

Maria Miller has resigned. After the public's patience ran out, David Cameron finally pulled the plug on his Culture Secretary – only to write a letter of condolence saying that he hopes some day she'll return to frontbench politics. The voters may feel different. We ask Charles Moore what the scandal tells us about Mr Cameron's quixotic leadership style, which Charles says suffers from a lack of Thatcher-style vision. John McTernan, a former Blairite enforcer, tells us how a crisis should be handled by Number 10. And Iain Martin ponders if the PM is out of touch. Also: it's our birthday! After one year of podcasts, we try to look back at some of the highlights of the last 12 months, but instead argue about Doctor Who, Pope Francis and Nigel Farage.

We're joined this week by Conservative MP Rory Stewart and the Telegraph's Rob Crilly and Colin Freeman

As of this Saturday, British gay couples will be able to get married. Finally, they've won the right to be as miserable as the rest of us. In this week's Telegram we ask why this extraordinary social change has come about with so little protest. Graeme Archer, Father Andrew Cain and Peter Williams discuss what this means for both society and religion. We also ask crime writer Alex Marwood, author of The Wicked Girls and The Killer Next Door, why we find murderers more interesting than detectives.

In this week's Telegram Lord Tebbit and Tom Chivers debate the moral and practical realities of allowing an individual to decide when their life should end. Lord Tebbit foresees an explosion of financially motivated "suicides", while Tom Chivers insists that with the right safeguards, people should be allowed to die with dignity. Also: Ed Miliband's euro gamble. Dan Hodges and John McTernan argue whether it's Labour or the Tories who are now confused about Europe.

Power corrupts and it has corrupted Vladimir Putin absolutely. As the drama in Ukraine continues, we examine the mind and motivations of the man responsible. Ian H Robertson, Professor in Psychology at Trinity College Dublin and author of The Winner Effect: How Power Affects Your Brain, explains how over time the need for power messes with the synapses and induces megalomania. The Professor tells us that the only way the West can get under Vladimir Putin's skin is through practical sanctions. Benedict Brogan and Con Coughlin discuss what those sanctions might look like, and if Britain even has the interest or clout to help resolve this dangerous crisis.

In this week's Telegram, Jenny McCartney and Iain Martin discuss what it was about the Seventies that created a poisonous alliance between sexual liberation and naive Left-wing politics.

The world has a new horror: Ukraine. This week, the Telegram talks to foreign correspondent David Blair in Kiev, where he tells us that the bloodshed and fighting suggests a country on the brink of civil war. Janet Daley and Peter Oborne argue over what the West should do – or if, even, it has the moral responsibility to do anything at all. Peter Oborne warns that we could be involving ourselves in a conflict that is beyond the usual paradigm of good vs evil. Also, Peter joins Peter Stanford to debate the church/state clash over benefits. Can a Christian vote Conservative and still go to Heaven...?

Edward Snowden, far from being a heroic whistleblower, was a naive idiot who has handed a propaganda coup to one of the world's nastiest regimes, Putin's Russia. So says Edward Lucas, author of The Snowden Operation

This week's Telegram is an exclusive and wide-ranging interview with Michael Gove in which the Education Secretary explains his philosophy of history teaching to our resident historian Tim Stanley. If Britain's schools produce Marxist historians – fine. But let them reach that position from an impartial presentation of the facts, says Mr Gove. Meanwhile, asked about Nick Clegg, he says the Deputy PM needs to decide between "Good Nick" on one shoulder, who supports educational reforms, and "Wicked Nick" on the other shoulder, who panders to the enemies of promise in his own party.

We're joined this week by Louise Mensch, Peter Oborne, Janet Daley and Robbie Collin

This week, all eyes are on Syria where the brutal civil war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Our foreign correspondent, David Blair, explains how the monstrous Bashar al-Assad has managed to cling onto power for so long – and Con Coughlin, the Telegraph's defence editor, unpicks Iran's conspiracy to dominate the region. Also, we bid farewell to one of history's greatest conductors. Harry de Quetteville previews a new Obits podcast with a discussion about the life of Claudio Abbado – an enigmatic musician obsessed with death who offers an insight into the strange, lonely world of the conductor.

The Tories are revolting! We debate with Douglas Carswell and Graeham Archer what the proper role of a Conservative MP should be. Also, the Telegraph's senior movie critic Robbie Collin and our arts editor Sarah Crompton talk obscenities.

We're joined this week by Jeremy Warner, Ed Howker, Benedict Brogan and Anne-Elisabeth Moutet.

We are joined by the UK's former ambassador to North Korea, John Everard

The Pope is a Catholic – but what sort of Catholic? As Time magazine nominates Francis as Person of the Year, Will Heaven, Damian Thompson and Tim Stanley try to get to grips with this charismatic but confusing figure. Also, Sir Richard Branson joins us to discuss, space, Virgin Galactic and his plan to build a hotel in space.

Nelson Mandela, the liberator of South Africa, has died at 95. In this special Telegram podcast, Peter Oborne, Mary Riddell and Sue Cameron discuss what his life and his legacy – his country and the rest of the world. He leaves behind a South Africa that is in many ways still divided but, thanks to his efforts, finally free.

We're joined this week by Alistair Darling, Benedict Brogan and Janet Daley

Tim Stanley, Damian Thompson and Ivan Hewett discuss 50 years of the Doctor

Nigel Farage, Peter Oborne and Damian Thompson join us this week

We are joined this week by Dan Hodges, David Skelton and Benedict Brogan

We are joined this week by James Delingpole, Rosie Millard and Mick Brown

The deliberate abortion of baby girls – "gendercide" – is the world's most disturbing demographic trend. In some parts of India, 120 boys are born for every 100 girls.

We are joined this week by Bonnie Greer and Con Coughlin

Dan Hodges and Sunny Hundal join us to discuss Tommy Robinson's resignation.

We are joined in the studio this week by Benedict Brogan, Peter Oborne and Sue Cameron

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that Christians are suffering "mass martyrdom" in the Muslim world – and it's hard to disagree. A recent bomb attack took the lives of 85 people in Pakistan, churches are being destroyed in Egypt and Christians are on the run in Syria. Fraser Nelson and Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith discuss the nightmare and conclude that the British government is too hamstrung by liberal political correctness to do anything – and Fr Lucie-Smith blames that partly on Richard Dawkins and his radical atheist crew. Also Dr Alexander Lee gives us a new take on the Renaissance, which he says wasn't just an age of beauty and enlightenment but anti-Semitism, disease and lashings of kinky sex.

Cristina Odone and Damian Thompson discuss this loving but puzzling figure.

In this week's Telegram, Benedict Brogan and Dan Hodges discuss Ed's doomed attempts to reform the Labour Party.

Westminster has bowed out of the Syrian crisis just as Obama goes to congress and John Kerry hints that America will intervene anyway. We are joined this week by Brooks Newmark, Con Coughlin and Janet Daley.

The Beatles said that they were bigger than Jesus, and One Direction are said by some to be bigger than The Beatles. So what does that make Simon Cowell?

The Tories have been courting ethnic minority votes for decades – yet black and Asian voters still choose to go with Labour. In this week's Telegram podcast, Shaun Bailey, a black Conservative who works in the Cabinet Office, discusses this sensitive topic with Janet Daley, the American-born descendant of Russian Jewish immigrants. They reach some uncomfortable conclusions – not just for the Tories but also for Left-wing educationalists who specialise in exploiting racial grievances.

ust when you thought the debate over fracking couldn't get any more heated, the Telegram has crammed Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party, into a small studio with James Delingpole.

Death threats on Twitter and aggressive porn at the click of a mouse – there's some nasty stuff out there, but are feminists going too far by demanding tighter control of what we can read and watch? In this week's Telegram, Emma Barnett, Jake Wallis Simons and Toby Young discuss their own reactions to online death threats – but disagree passionately about what should be done.

This week's Telegram is an interview with our most caustic – but also best-loved – Telegraph blogger: Lord Tebbit.

The Conservatives are leaving for their summer holidays in a sunny mood: with Labour in comic disarray, there's every chance that David Cameron will win a majority at the next general election. But do they deserve to. Yes, says Toby Young. No, says James Delingpole. Don't miss this lively exchange between two of the Telegraph's most opinionated bloggers, in which Delingpole's famed sarcasm meets Toby's rhetorical cunning. Both grapple with an increasingly tricky question: what is a Conservative anyway?

Ed Miliband's plan to weaken the link between Labour and the trade unions has divided his party. On this week's Telegram, Blairite Dan Hodges describes Miliband's radical move as the right response to disgraceful vote-buying in Falkirk. Left-winger Owen Jones fires back ferociously, defending union power and accusing Dan of wanting to surrender to Tory economic policies. This is a podcast that takes us to the heart of Labour's looming civil war.

Egypt's latest experiment with democracy came crashing to a halt on Wednesday night with a military coup. In this week's Telegram, leading Middle East commentator Shashank Joshi explains why President Morsi fell and says liberals who think the army has saved Egypt from Islamism are mistaken. Our defence editor Con Coughlin disagrees – the Muslim Brotherhood's rule was descending into wretched tyranny, he says. Also, Telegraph consumer affairs editor Steve Hawkes has been tasting the lavish Christmas menus already unveiled by Waitrose and Marks & Spencer. Coupled with the huge profits of discount supermarkets, they provide yet more evidence of Britain's post-credit crunch "two-speed economy".

The Chancellor's Spending Review may have been politically significant, but in cutting £11.5 billion from the Government's managed expenditure, what did it achieve? Nothing, says an irate Peter Oborne. "Useful idiots" who are "economically illiterate" have got completely the wrong end of the stick. They don't seem to realise that everything is different nowEND ITALS. Mary Riddell counters will equal force. It's typical of Right-wingers, she says, to forget that these cuts will have a dramatic real-world effect, often on the poorest in society. Please be aware this podcast contains heated exchanges.

This week the Telegram focuses on the bloody civil war and asks: what did the G8 actually achieve?

This week's Telegram is a highly charged debate about America and security. Tim Stanley says the information released by Edward Snowden shows an Obama administration exercising "weird and creepy" control over its citizens. Dan Hodges says the libertarian Left and Right are in an "unholy alliance", trying to scare voters about legitimate security measures. Also, former Republican Senator Jim DeMint of the Heritage Foundation calls for the return of small-government conservatism to American discourse – the only way, he insists, that the GOP can hope to dislodge the Democrats from the White House.

Westminster has been hijacked by a narrow clique of toadying career politicians, says Tory MP Douglas Carswell in this week's Telegram. He wants to give voters the power to recall bad MPs – but Dave isn't interested in such radical reform. Our Whitehall expert Sue Cameron tells Douglas that he's being naive: there have always been bad people in Parliament. Also, Telegraph bloggers Jake Wallis Simons and Willard Foxton clash over what to do about child porn. The Government can do much more to block it, says Jake. No it can't, says Willard.

New analysis of the 2011 census makes horrible reading for the Churches – attendance down 15 per cent in a decade. Meanwhile, one in 10 young Britons is a Muslim. In this week's Telegram, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali says politically correct Christianity is partly to blame, while Damian Thompson argues that part of Islam's appeal is its ability to harness political anger.

Murder in Woolwich: was this gruesome beheading the work of serious jihadis or demented young men using Islam as an excuse for their psychotic fantasies? And will we see more incidents like this as religious extremism – and an anti-Muslim backlash – grows in our cities? This week's Telegram offers expert commentary from Shashank Joshi, one of the world's leading authorities on Islamic terrorism, our chief political commentator Peter Oborne, and Sunday Telegraph columnist Janet Daley.

"Hourly, farce is piled upon farce," wrote Iain Martin on his Telegraph blog this week as the Tory tribe panicked over Europe. In this week's Telegram, Iain argues that Cameron may have been fatally wounded – but Labour commentator Dan Hodges disagrees. Also, as IRS and Benghazi scandals engulf Barack Obama, columnist Con Coughlin says the sheer nastiness of this US administration is only now beginning to emerge.