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Coffee House Shots

The greatest political books ever: how many have you read?

5/7/202638 min

It’s polling day! Tim and James take the opportunity to go through their favourite political books ever, fiction and non-fiction. They discuss the books that have shaped their understanding of politics and make the case for the top spot.

Is your favourite on the list? Have you read their number one? And which rankings would you dispute? They discuss with Megan McElroy.

If you enjoy Coffee House Shots, you can join Tim Shipman and James Heale live as the election results roll in. Will Starmer survive the night? Are Reform and the Greens about to redraw the political map? And what happens next? Along with a panel of familiar faces and special guests, get the only analysis you’ll need as the political fallout begins. Watch live on Friday at 3 p.m. here, and tap the bell now to be notified in advance.

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Clips

The Ethics Of Scoops
LBJ: Monster Who Delivered
How Watergate Was Written
Dirty Deeds Dilemma
Book Versus TV: Cards
Confessions Of A Political Operative
Pushback To "Client Journalist"
Second-Best In His Own Building

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Speaker 00:00

    [upbeat music] Out on the road, it's nice to have a partner who can help you make the most of your journey, a partner like the Love's Rewards app. With Love's Rewards along for the ride, you can earn points and get great deals, like a free coffee or fountain drink. Just buy any four, any size, and get the fifth one free. How refreshing is that? Download the app today and let the points roll in mile after mile. Love's Rewards. Save and earn at every turn. Terms apply. See website for details.

  2. Megan McElroy· Host0:29

    [upbeat music] Hello, and welcome to Coffee House Shots, The Spectator's daily politics podcast. I'm Megan McElroy, and I'm joined today by Tim Shipman, our political editor, and James Heil, our deputy political editor. Now, keen listeners will know that today we can't really cover anything of substance. The homepages across the country are just dogs and weather. So instead- I'm pretty good on dogs, to be honest.

  3. Tim Shipman· Guest0:58

    [laughs] And everyone in Britain is good on weather.

  4. James Heale· Guest1:00

    [laughs] [laughs] And polling stations. Dogs at polling stations, we should say, rather than a sort of social comment.

  5. Tim Shipman· Guest1:04

    But I do contest that this is not a serious conversation that we're about to have. This is a, this is a deadly serious conversation.

  6. James Heale· Guest1:10

    30 years of hard work has gone into this for me.

  7. Tim Shipman· Guest1:12

    Very much so.

  8. Megan McElroy· Host1:13

    I think it's fair to say, I'd like both of your thoughts on this, I'm sat across from two Westminster nerds.

  9. Tim Shipman· Guest1:19

    No complaint from either of us.

  10. James Heale· Guest1:21

    I mean, if the shoe fits.

  11. Tim Shipman· Guest1:23

    [laughs] I have to, I have to include this anecdote at this point. Someone was generous enough to say to me that I was one of the three

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