The Edition: 'We're only months away from the first political assassination by drone'

The Spectator's 'The Edition' podcast delivers a chilling prediction: we are only months away from the first political assassination by drone, a transformational shift in warfare already underway in Ukraine. Francis Dernley, the Telegraph's Executive Editor, reveals how Ukraine has become the world's leading drone superpower, with 80% of Russian casualties now caused by drones rather than artillery—a radical pivot from First World War-style combat. He warns that AI-driven drones, capable of self-targeting and learning from failure, are no longer science fiction. The next phase, where autonomous drones swarm and relentlessly pursue targets, could make political assassinations not only possible but inevitable. This isn't just a military evolution—it's a profound threat to national security and democratic stability. The episode also unpacks the deepening war fatigue in both Russia and Ukraine, the hidden economic incentives driving Putin’s war, and the growing skepticism toward Zelenskyy abroad, even as Ukraine’s military innovation surges. Meanwhile, a revealing look at Andy Burnham’s uneventful Cambridge years suggests a deliberate political strategy of understated normalcy, while a sharp debate over 'matrescence' exposes how modern parenting culture is being monetized through trauma-based wellness industries. Finally, the looming World Cup in the U.S.