The Spectator
The Spectator is a British weekly magazine covering politics, culture and current affairs. It has been published since 1828, making it one of the oldest surviving magazines. The publication has a conservative outlook. In 2024, it was bought by investor Paul Marshall.
What it covers
In addition to the weekly magazine, The Spectator publishes daily online commentary and podcasts. Writers including Douglas Murray, Julie Bindel of The Lesbian Project and Jo Bartosch write about gender. Recurring topics include the British gender clinic for young people, the Cass Review, self-identification and the position of women.
Why it is on this list
The Spectator is influential in British politics and provides a platform for gender-critical authors, including feminists from the political left. The articles are almost always opinion pieces rather than reporting, and the tone is often sharp. The magazine therefore primarily offers insight into the British public debate.
History and editorial team
The Spectator was founded on 6 July 1828 by Robert Stephen Rintoul. During the first century of its existence, the magazine was liberal. Today, it is conservative, Eurosceptic and focused on the relationship with the United States. Several editors later became prominent politicians. Nigel Lawson led the magazine from 1966 to 1970, and Boris Johnson from 1999 to 2005. Fraser Nelson was editor from 2009 to 2024. On 4 October 2024, former Conservative minister Michael Gove succeeded him, while Nelson became associate editor.
Ownership and reach
In 2004, the Barclay brothers bought the Telegraph Group, which included The Spectator at the time. In September 2024, Paul Marshall bought the magazine for £100 million through his company Old Queen Street Ventures. Marshall also owns UnHerd and is co-owner of the television channel GB News. As a result, a significant portion of the British conservative opinion media is in the hands of a single investor. Circulation exceeded 107,000 copies in 2023. An Australian edition has existed since 2008, and an American edition was added in 2019.
How to use and assess this source
The Spectator is an opinion magazine, and its authors write in a personal capacity. A column is a viewpoint, not a news report. The articles are useful for following how the debate in Westminster unfolds and which arguments carry weight there. One example is the magazine's article about a 2019 self-identification guide from the law firm Dentons; the background is available on genderlobby.nl. A copy of that document is available on the blog Gender Critical Woman. For the content of British laws and judgments, it is better to consult the original documents; an overview is available under legal.