Dialogue Archives | Standpoint Magazine

The British Gas Man Cometh (Not)

Standpoint senior editor Miriam Gross tries seven times in vain to negotiate the hopeless beaurocracy of British Gas’s customer service department Thursday Conversation One. 1.15pm Hello. Welcome to British Gas. Calls are

September 3, 2026

Dialogue·Energy·Modern Life·Satire

When Britain Feared the Blackshirts

The novelist Nicholas Mosley, who has died at the age of 93, discusses the rise and fall of British fascism with Raymond Carr in a Standpoint dialogue from 2009

September 3, 2026

Dialogue·History·Politics·UK Politics

Denying Israel’s Deniers

The British and Israeli novelists Howard Jacobson and A.B. Yehoshua discuss the new wave of anti-Jewish rhetoric with Standpoint editor Daniel Johnson

September 2, 2026

Dialogue·Ethnicity·Faith·International·Israel·Judaism·Literature·Media·Middle East·Politics·Social Affairs·War on Terror

Long Night of the Red Star

Jung Chang and her husband Jon Halliday are leading authorities on Mao, while Simon Sebag Montefiore has published two major works on Stalin. With Standpoint editor Daniel Johnson, they discuss the two

September 2, 2026

China·Communism·Dialogue·History·Politics·Russia·The West

Bringing the House Down

The playwright Simon Gray died on August 7. Shortly before his death he shared his thoughts on the theatre and much else in a Standpoint Dialogue with The Daily Telegraph's theatre critic

September 2, 2026

Dialogue·Literature·Satire·Theatre

The Terrorist Threat to Business

Luke Johnson, entrepreneur and business commentator, discusses terrorism's growing menace with historian Michael Burleigh and Standpoint editor Daniel Johnson

September 2, 2026

Academia·Dialogue·Economy·History·International·Ireland·Islam·Media·Military·Northern Ireland·Policing·Political Correctness·Politics·Publishing·The West·TV·UK Politics·War on Terror

Nothing Left But the Credits

Philip French, who has died aged 82, was the doyen of British film criticism. In 2009, in the run-up to the Oscars, he discusses the demise of cinema as an art form

September 2, 2026

Dialogue·Film·Media·Modern Life·Theatre

Is Capitalism Morally Bankrupt?

Samuel Brittan and Edward Hadas, both distinguished economic commentators, discuss where to place the blame for the current global crisis with Standpoint editor Daniel Johnson

September 2, 2026

China·Communism·Developing World·Dialogue·Economy·Global Governance·India·International·Modern Life·North America·Philosophy·Politics·The West·Welfare State

More Popular than Jesus: The Hubris of the Music Industry

The tenor Ian Bostridge and the historian Tim Blanning discuss popular and classical music with Standpoint editor Daniel Johnson

September 2, 2026

Dialogue·Music

Rethinking the War on Terror

The presidential adviser and author of Terror and Consent, Philip Bobbitt, shares his ideas on the war on terror in a Standpoint dialogue with Conservative politician and author of Celsius 7/7, Michael

September 2, 2026

Afghanistan·Defence·Dialogue·International·Iraq·Islam·Media·Middle East·Politics·Social Affairs·The West·UK Politics·US Politics·War on Terror

The Politics of Climate Change

Former Tory chancellor Nigel Lawson challenges David Cameron’s Conservatives, represented by the party’s policy chief Oliver Letwin, to break with the consensus on global warming. Their discussion is chaired by Standpoint editor

September 2, 2026

Dialogue·Energy·Environment·International·UK Politics·Westminster

Helping Africa Break Free

Aid to Africa is the problem, not the solution, according to Dambisa Moyo, Zambian-born economist and author of Dead Aid. She discusses the issue with Richard Dowden, executive director of the Royal

September 2, 2026

Africa·China·Developing World·Dialogue·Economy·Ethnicity·Foreign Aid·Global Governance·History·International·Politics·Social Affairs·The West