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Best of the Spectator

The Edition: why Ukraine's minerals matter, the NHS's sterilisation problem & remembering the worst poet in history

Best of the Spectator

The Spectator

News Commentary, News, Daily News, Society & Culture

4.4785 Ratings

🗓️ 6 March 2025

⏱️ 42 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week: the carve-up of Ukraine’s natural resources

From the success of Keir Starmer’s visit to Washington to the squabbling we saw in the Oval Office and the breakdown of security guarantees for Ukraine – we have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of geopolitics in the last week, say Niall Ferguson and Nicholas Kulish in this week’s cover piece. They argue that what Donald Trump is really concerned with when it comes to Ukraine is rare earth minerals – which Ukraine has in abundance under its soil. The conventional wisdom is that the US is desperately short of these crucial minerals and, as Niall and Nicholas point out, the dealmaking president is driven by a nagging sense of inferiority in comparison to rare earth minerals powerhouse China. Niall and Nicholas joined the podcast to talk further. (02:19)

Next: why are women having caesareans being offered sterilisation?

During a routine antenatal appointment, Flora Watkins was blindsided by the opening gambit from her obstetrician: ‘Why don’t we tie your tubes when we’ve got the baby out?’ The doctor wouldn’t drop it, despite Flora’s objections, insisting it was ‘a very simple procedure’. Flora speaks to other women who were traumatised by these unsolicited offers and confused about why they had been targeted. Most felt it was a judgment on the number of children they ‘should’ have. Only one woman had been given a medical reason. Flora joined the podcast to discuss this further, alongside Dr Janet Barter, president of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, which advises women on contraception. (18:50)

And finally: when is poetry so bad that it becomes good?


Sam Leith, The Spectator’s literary editor, celebrates William McGonagall in the magazine – the man affectionately considered the worst poet in history. McGonagall was, as Sam says, an ‘anti-genius’ who (in light of the Tay Bridge Disaster) concocted such memorable stanzas as:

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.

But Sam argues that there is joy to be found in bad poetry. To discuss good poetry, bad poetry and the very fine line between them, Sam Leith joined the podcast alongside one of the more successful Dundonian poets, Don Paterson. (33:08)

Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

On the 27th of March, the Coffeehouse Shots team will be joined by special guests to give you their take on a Spring Statement.

0:05.9

We will be live on stage at London's Cadogan Hall. To get your tickets today, visit spectator.com.uk

0:12.0

forward slash spring statement live. We'll see you there. Hello and welcome to the edition podcast from The Spectator,

0:27.5

where each week we shared a little light on the thought process

0:30.4

behind putting the world's oldest weekly magazine to bed.

0:33.7

I'm Laura Prendergars, the Spectator's executive editor.

0:36.6

And I'm William Moore, the Spectators' Features Editor.

0:39.7

On this week's podcast, what Trump really wants from Ukraine,

0:43.6

the women being pushed towards sterilisation by the NHS,

0:47.5

and what makes something so bad that it's good?

1:00.0

Music that it's good. I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to end the destruction of your country.

1:03.8

Yes, but if you are not strong...

1:05.4

Mr. President, with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office

1:08.9

to try to litigate this in front of the American media.

1:11.3

Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems.

1:17.6

You should be thanking the President for trying to bring it into this conflict.

1:20.7

Have you ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?

1:24.1

From the success of Kirstama's visit to Washington to the squabbling in the Oval Office with Zelensky, we have. From the success of Keir Starman's visit to Washington to the squabbling in the Oval Office

1:29.2

with Zelensky, we have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of geopolitics in the last week,

1:36.1

say Neil Ferguson and Nicholas Kumleben in this week's cover piece. They argue that what

1:42.7

President Trump is really concerned about when it comes to Ukraine

1:45.8

is rare earth minerals, which they believe Ukraine has in abundance under its soil. The conventional

...

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