Reading Our Times

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What does England owe to Christianity? In conversation with Bijan Omrani

June 23, 2026

The idea that our country is Christian - in the historical sense of having been comprehensively formed by the faith - is sometimes taken as a kind of Christian nationalist dog whistle. But it shouldn't be.In reality, this is true for most countries in Europe, in which, in spite of massive secularisation in the later 20th century, Christianity's fingerprints are everywhere.So, what is England? How has the English nation, its laws, politics, culture and literature, been formed by Christ...

What is the truth behind immigration? In conversation with Alan Manning

June 16, 2026

Immigration is a major issue in the contemporary world, a - if not the - driver of nationalist movements the world over. It is impossible to think about nationalism today, religious or otherwise, without thinking first about immigration.But immigration is also a hard subject to think about, not because of a paucity of information but because of a glut. Awash with statistics, anecdotes and personal stories, immigration offers people a well-stocked cupboard of things to feed their existing view...

Is this the end of woke? In conversation with Andrew Doyle

June 09, 2026

"Woke" has become one of the most contested words in contemporary culture, deployed as a badge of honour by some, a term of abuse by others. But what does it actually mean, and does it constitute a serious ideological movement or merely a passing fashion?In today's episode, Nick talks to writer, comedian and broadcaster Andrew Doyle, best known as the creator of satirical persona Titania McGrath, whose latest book The End of Woke examines the origins, methods and possible declin...