The Critic Show

This week on The Critic, Tom and Chris are joined by economist Andrew Lilico to discuss government finance, free markets and the growing role of the state in the economy. Andrew challenges the idea that governments can finance projects more cheaply than private companies, arguing that this misunderstands the realities of government borrowing and creates misleading arguments about the benefits of state intervention.
They discuss the history of price controls, particularly in the water and electricity sectors, and why water companies have become such an easy target in the public debate. Andrew also considers whether Ofwat has really lost control, the expansion of quangos under New Labour, and the political logic behind creating the appearance of independent expert oversight.
Finally, they examine Labour’s short-term political incentives, the dangers of government bailouts and the distortions created when lenders believe the state will always step in.

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This week, Tom welcomes The Critic editor Graham Stewart and guest Fred de Fossard to discuss the October issue of The Critic.
Listeners are walked through a preview of a profile of Roger Hallam which features in the print issue, as well as discussing the cover piece which talks about the figure behind Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion.
Fred then explains asylum reform, tracing the system from the 1951 Refugee Convention’s postwar European focus through its 1967 expansion into a global framework. He reflects on decolonisation, international law, and refugee movements of the 1980s and 1990s.
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Reform’s fortunes are changing, while the Conservatives face a difficult balancing act: keeping older voters onside while finding a compelling offer for younger generations.
On this week’s Critics Show, Chris Bayliss is joined by Henry Hill and Scarlett Maguire to untangle the confusing web of where voters’ loyalties really lie in a political landscape defined by fragmentation on the right and disappointment on the left.

They discuss Scarlett’s latest research, which suggests Reform has been in decline since earlier this year, while also examining the rise of younger right-wing parties such as Restore.
Henry and Chris also talk to Scarlett about the Conservative–Liberal Democrat contest and what shifting voter loyalties could mean for the political landscape.
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In this episode, host Boris Starling is joined by journalist, writer and film critic Jason Solomons for a wide-ranging conversation about football, management, culture and cinema.
The episode begins with Arsène Wenger and the extraordinary impact he had on English football. Boris and Jason explore how Wenger helped change the way the modern game was managed, bringing new ideas around nutrition, fitness, preparation and player welfare to the Premier League. They discuss his belief in understanding players as individuals, not simply as footballers, and how his attention to their personalities, habits and development helped establish a very different model of management.
From Wenger’s influence, the conversation opens out into a broader discussion about football, its culture and the way the game has evolved, both on and off the pitch. What can football managers learn from other worlds, and how much has the modern game changed as a result of the ideas Wenger introduced?
Finally, the conversation moves from football to film, with Jason talking about his upcoming film projects, his work as a critic and what audiences can look forward to next.

For the full episode, head to https://www.outpoststudios.net/
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In this episode of The Critic Show, Tom Jones and Henry Hill are joined by The Critic’s editor, Graham Stewart, to explore the magazine’s bumper Summer Double Issue.
Graham takes us through the issue’s highlights, including a major summer books bonanza, meanwhile over in the sport section, Boris Starling’s looks at what happened to England’s 1966 World Cup heroes.

The issue also features some important reposting concerning the continuing controversy around the Government’s digital ID plans, and David Shipley’s investigation into the crisis at the Atheneum Club.

Henry Hill then walks listeners thought his cover story: is Andy Burnham really the “new Boris Johnson”? Henry examines the striking parallels between the two politicians, from media-driven politics and North-South rhetoric to the promise of devolution without confronting its difficult trade-offs.

Tom, Henry and Graham discuss Burnham’s political honeymoon, the looming realities of his first budget, the prospects of an early general election, Reform UK’s growing strength, and whether the idea of “Manchesterism” has any substance at all.

Read the Summer Double Issue and listen to the full conversation on The Critic Show.
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