The Sceptic

In this Special Episode of the Sceptic, Laurie speaks to Dr Mario Trabucco della Toretta, classical archaeologist and writer. In this extended interview, Laurie and Mario discuss the British Museum and why it’s the best in the world, its magnificent collection and where it came from, why the ‘decolonise’ lobby is so wrong to claim it’s all ‘looted’, the truth about the Elgin Marbles, why the arguments for repatriating them don’t stack up, what’s behind the anti-Westernism of the ‘decolonisers’ and how we can fight back. NOTE: Premium subscribers will notice that this is an extract from the premium section of Episode 34 [https://dailysceptic.org/2025/04/11/episode-35-of-the-sceptic-fred-de-fossard-on-trumps-tariffs-sam-bidwell-on-muslim-sectarianism-and-mario-trabucco-on-why-the-elgin-marbles-belong-in-britain/]. We’re sorry that there is no new episode today. This is due to circumstances beyond our control. The Sceptic will return next week as usual. Donate [http://www.dailysceptic.org/donate/] to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content. Follow Laurie on X [https://x.com/L_Wastell]. Follow Mario on X [https://x.com/Mario_Trabucco]. Subscribe to the Daily Sceptic [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDailySceptic/subscribe] YouTube Channel. Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.

In this Special Episode of the Sceptic, Laurie speaks to Ben Cobley, commentator and author of The Tribe: The Liberal-Left and the System of Diversity and The Progress Trap: The Modern Left and the False Authority of History, out next month. They discuss Ben’s concept of the “system of diversity” we find ourselves living in our multicultural society, Laurie’s research on hate crime and why that’s a prime example of it, why it’s so unforgiving, the concept of ‘community leaders’ and whether they are authentic, and ‘Islamophobia’ and the unholy fusion of ultraconservative Islam with Left-wing sociology. In the premium section, they discuss why Labour is so afraid of a national grooming gangs inquiry, why the wheels are coming off for Jess Phillips, how to recover from our two-tier society and Ben’s new book on the falsehoods of progressivism. Donate [http://www.dailysceptic.org/donate/] to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content Follow Laurie on X [https://x.com/L_Wastell] Follow Ben on X [https://x.com/bencobley] Pre-order The Progress Trap here [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Progress-Trap-Modern-Authority-History/dp/1509567623] Subscribe to the https://www.youtube.com/@TheDailySceptic/subscribeDaily Sceptic YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDailySceptic/subscribe] Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.

Welcome to Episode 34 of the Sceptic! On the show this week, host Laurie Wastell speaks to the following guests: Fred de Fossard, Director of Strategy at the Prosperity Institute, on Trump’s tariffs on how Britain should respond to them. Sam Bidwell, Director of Research at the Adam Smith Institute, on the UK MPs campaigning for an airport in Mirpur, Pakistan and what this says about the growing problem of Muslim sectarianism in Britain. And for our premium subscribers, Laurie is joined by Dr Mario Trabucco della Toretta, classical archaeologist and writer, on the wonders of the British Museum – and what the ‘decolonise’ crowd gets so wrong about the Elgin Marbles. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content [http://www.dailysceptic.org/donate/].  Follow Laurie on X [https://x.com/L_Wastell].  Follow Fred on X [https://x.com/Defossardf]. Follow Sam on X [https://x.com/Sam_Bidwell]. Follow Mario on X [https://x.com/Mario_Trabucco]. Subscribe to the Daily Sceptic YouTube Channel here [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDailySceptic/subscribe].  Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.

Is Net Zero dead? In this Sceptic short, host Laurie Wastell is joined by Dr Tilak Doshi, economist, former contributor to Forbes and now the Daily Sceptic’s Energy Editor, to discuss how Donald Trump’s “Drill, baby, drill!” energy revolution is upending the global green agenda, why the climate censorship regime is collapsing and whether the writing is on the wall for Ed Miliband. NOTE: Premium subscribers will notice that this is an extract from the premium section of Episode 30. We’re sorry that there is no new episode today. This is due to circumstances beyond our control. The Sceptic will return next week as usual. Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content [http://www.dailysceptic.org/donate/]. Follow Laurie on X [https://x.com/L_Wastell]. Read Tilak’s piece [https://dailysceptic.org/2025/03/02/the-energy-transition-is-dead/] on the Daily Sceptic. And follow him on X. [https://x.com/tilakdoshi] Subscribe to the Daily Sceptic YouTube Channel. [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDailySceptic/subscribe] Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.

Welcome to Episode 33 of the Sceptic! On the show this week, host Laurie Wastell speaks to the following guests: Guy Dampier, Senior Researcher on Nationhood at the Prosperity Institute, on what Britain can learn from Donald Trump on how to solve the problem of illegal immigration. William Yarwood, Media Campaign Manager at the Taxpayers’ Alliance, on the great Motability scandal. And for our premium subscribers, Laurie speaks to David Shipley, writer on prisons and justice, on Adolescence, the skewed focus of Prevent and the twee tyranny of Paddington Bear.   Donate to the Daily Sceptic to access our premium content [http://www.dailysceptic.org/donate/].  Follow Laurie on X [https://x.com/L_Wastell].  Follow Guy on X [https://x.com/dampierguy]. Follow William on X [https://x.com/yarwoodwilliam/]. Follow David on X [https://x.com/ShipleyWrites]. Subscribe to the Daily Sceptic YouTube Channel here [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDailySceptic/subscribe].  Produced by Richard Eldred. Filmed at the Westminster Podcast Studio.