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PODCAST

Alas Vine & Hitchens

What"s the Big Idea? Finally, Sarah Vine (once memorably described as being ‘like and loathed in equal measure, divisive, but never indecisive’) and Peter Hitchens (a man whose writing a critic was called to compare to a Guardsman’s boot: ‘as highly polished and potentially lethal’) meet once a week to look at the world and mutter, alas…Acclaimed columnist and journalist Sarah Vine and best-selling author and broadcaster Peter Hitchens discuss and dissect social, economic, and pop cultural flotsam

news news commentary,

All Episodes

39:15

Abortion Bills and Nuclear Bombs

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/06/25

Sarah and Peter wrangle everything from the latest abortion legislation to how to purge the world of nuclear weapons (Sarah suggests we move them to the Moon – pity the poor astronauts who next land there), Star Trek and what the Federation really alluded to. Did Hollywood treat Napoleon fairly or meddle with history for its own ends? And, more happily, we cast Peter as Badger in Toad of Toad Hall with remarkable results. Stay tuned for that.On our reading and watch list this week:·Take A Girl Like

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42:42

Marshmallow Totalitarianism and the Beauty of the...

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/06/18

Flared trousers, the fate of Northern Ireland, free speech, swimming with Gordon Brown and childish children’s books. All human life, as they say, is here. Sarah wants to know why we’re afraid of difficult conversations and saying what we really think, is it that we’re always being shouted down by those who don’t agree with us? What ever happened to civilised debate?Not that our debates are ever civilised.While Peter reminisces about his time in Iran some decades ago and how it’s not the country

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35:30

How Not To Be A Political Wife

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/06/11

As Sarah’s book sends shockwaves through former political grandees and the corridors of power, Sarah and Peter sit down to ponder listener questions (and some of Peter’s thoughts too) related to ‘How Not To Be A Political Wife’, a book that has been described as ‘fascinating, embarrassing and fundamentally tragic’, ‘witty, wry and incredibly touching’ and an ‘unflinching account of life at the heart of politics.’Expect questions and answers on falling in and out of love with Michael Gove, is there

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33:52

With Friends Like These… and is Poland the new Ukraine?

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/06/04

To paraphrase Randy Newman, you’ve got a friend in me, but for just how long? Especially when you’re Sarah Vine and you’re supposed best friend’s husband is on the side of staying in the European Union while your then husband is all for pushing Brexit through. As Sarah discovered, loyalties are soon divided and what ultimately makes a true friend anyway? While Peter Hitchens looks askance at the continent and wonders, as Poland lurches to the right with its latest elections results, if the European

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37:22

With Friends Like These… and is Poland the new Ukraine?

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/06/04

To paraphrase Randy Newman, you’ve got a friend in me, but for just how long? Especially when you’re Sarah Vine and you’re supposed best friend’s husband is on the side of staying in the European Union while your then husband is all for pushing Brexit through. As Sarah discovered, loyalties are soon divided and what ultimately makes a true friend anyway?While Peter Hitchens looks askance at the continent and wonders, as Poland lurches to the right with its latest elections results, if the

en

40:32

The Mental Malaise of Marijuana

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/05/28

As rampage killings are on the rise both here and abroad, we ask if the long-term effects of drugs are impacting on our societal norms and encouraging a violent recklessness not seen before? As charges for cannabis possession are fast becoming a thing of the past and modern culture embraces increasingly strong strands of weed, is there a case to be made for really doubling down on those who break drug laws or as cannabis legalisation creeps across the globe, we ask, is it already too late?On our

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37:02

The Mental Malaise of Marijuana

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/05/28

As rampage killings are on the rise both here and abroad, we ask if the long-term effects of drugs are impacting on our societal norms and encouraging a violent recklessness not seen before? As charges for cannabis possession are fast becoming a thing of the past and modern culture embraces increasingly strong strands of weed, is there a case to be made for really doubling down on those who break drug laws or as cannabis legalisation creeps across the globe, we ask, is it already too late?On our

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33:49

The Menopause Superpower and some Sibling Rivalry

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/05/21

Books, plays and films have been written about it, its onset feared in some quarters, pilloried in others, and it will, eventually, affect almost all women. Though that’s not why Sarah Vine wants to talk about the menopause, but why, in some circumstances, it can be a huge liberation for women; finally freed from being slave to one’s hormones, and that’s just the beginning. So, why, do so many women fear the onset of the menopause? Plus, Peter Hitchens, is told several times a week (online, never in

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37:19

The Menopause Superpower and some Sibling Rivalry

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/05/21

Books, plays and films have been written about it, its onset feared in some quarters, pilloried in others, and it will, eventually, affect almost all women. Though that’s not why Sarah Vine wants to talk about the menopause, but why, in some circumstances, it can be a huge liberation for women; finally freed from being slave to one’s hormones, and that’s just the beginning. So, why, do so many women fear the onset of the menopause?Plus, Peter Hitchens, is told several times a week (online,

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33:56

The Death Penalty and What I Did (or didn't do) On My...

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/05/14

To Peter Hitchens, the idea of capital punishment (at least at home here in the UK) could make for a country that is less vengeful and, he goes so far as to suggest, even more gentle. Having experienced two executions while working in the US, he knows the power of that final switch and the deterrent it might bring. But is he right, would the shadow cast by capital punishment be enough quell violent crime and those who commit it? Plus, on a much lighter though no less graphic note, we look at

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37:26

The Death Penalty and What I Did (or didn't do) On My...

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/05/14

To Peter Hitchens, the idea of capital punishment (at least at home here in the UK) could make for a country that is less vengeful and, he goes so far as to suggest, even more gentle. Having experienced two executions while working in the US, he knows the power of that final switch and the deterrent it might bring. But is he right, would the shadow cast by capital punishment be enough quell violent crime and those who commit it? Plus, on a much lighter though no less graphic note, we look at

en

43:38

The End of Education and Did We Really Win the War?

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/05/07

Sarah’s two children are currently at university, which is rather handy as a regular listener has asked that Peter and Sarah chime in on the current state of the education system here in the UK. And how times have changed, Peter spent his university years trying to kickstart social unrest, while Sarah pursued a job at The Body Shop.And as the Union Jacks flutter in the hazy afterglow of VE Day, Peter rand Sarah reflects respectively on their father and grandfather’s service, one at sea in Scapa

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40:08

The End of Education and Did We Really Win the War?

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/05/07

Sarah’s two children are currently at university, which is rather handy as a regular listener has asked that Peter and Sarah chime in on the current state of the education system here in the UK. And how times have changed, Peter spent his university years trying to kickstart social unrest, while Sarah pursued a job at The Body Shop. And as the Union Jacks flutter in the hazy afterglow of VE Day, Peter rand Sarah reflects respectively on their father and grandfather’s service, one at sea in Scapa

en

29:28

Applying Udder Cream and the End of Civilisation

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/04/30

Sarah’s brother was at home in Madrid this week when Spain underwent a blackout, alone in the dark with the only the thing in his house still working, his old radio. This week too saw the start of the great switch-off of analogue phones; and just look at the chaos caused by a cyber-attack at Marks and Spencer in the last few days. So, Sarah’s question is this, as we fall under the thrall of ever updating technology, are we going unwittingly back to the dark ages?Meanwhile, Peter is as reluctant

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25:58

Applying Udder Cream and the End of Civilisation

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/04/30

Sarah’s brother was at home in Madrid this week when Spain underwent a blackout, alone in the dark with the only the thing in his house still working, his old radio. This week too saw the start of the great switch-off of analogue phones; and just look at the chaos caused by a cyber-attack at Marks and Spencer in the last few days. So, Sarah’s question is this, as we fall under the thrall of ever updating technology, are we going unwittingly back to the dark ages? Meanwhile, Peter is as reluctant as

en

31:57

Turn off your TV and Bloody Taxes

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/04/23

Not unlike the Rolling Stones, Peter Hitchens is ready to toss his TV through the nearest window. He’s in accord with the late, great Groucho Marx who was once moved to remark: "I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." Once forced to rent a TV to watch the news before being quickly lured towards shows like Minder, Peter is now wary of the television, to the point he blames it for a lot of the world’s woes. Tune in for that.And

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35:27

Turn off your TV and Bloody Taxes

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/04/23

Not unlike the Rolling Stones, Peter Hitchens is ready to toss his TV through the nearest window. He’s in accord with the late, great Groucho Marx who was once moved to remark: "I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." Once forced to rent a TV to watch the news before being quickly lured towards shows like Minder, Peter is now wary of the television, to the point he blames it for a lot of the world’s woes. Tune in for

en

33:27

Birmingham’s Bulging Bins and the end of the Toby...

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/04/16

Sarah Vine wants to bin it off. Though given the decline in public services nationwide, that’s getting harder and harder to do. As the Birmingham bin strike rolls on, the council declares itself bankrupt and rats invade the city’s streets, we ask what the hell is going on with our public services and is this just part of a wider societal malaise? Also, could someone please take this rubbish away?They were once the so-called lungs of the earth, but as a centuries-old oak tree with “more ecological

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29:57

Birmingham’s Bulging Bins and the end of the Toby...

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/04/16

Sarah Vine wants to bin it off. Though given the decline in public services nationwide, that’s getting harder and harder to do. As the Birmingham bin strike rolls on, the council declares itself bankrupt and rats invade the city’s streets, we ask what the hell is going on with our public services and is this just part of a wider societal malaise? Also, could someone please take this rubbish away?They were once the so-called lungs of the earth, but as a centuries-old oak tree with “more ecological

en

39:58

Drinking Swamp Broth and why our Police Forces are...

Alas Vine & Hitchens ·

2025/04/09

Peter Hitchens hates to be blunt about these things, well, not really, but he’d really like to know why the police are so useless. And not in one specific instance or area, but generally. No coppers on the beat, rarely answering emergency calls and heaven forfend they actually bang someone up. What happened to policing in the UK?While Sarah has spent her week at a wellness centre (don’t call it a fat farm), and while she has returned glowing like a rare gem, she did manage to put some weight on. But

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