They also look at Keir Starmer’s leadership style, questioning whether his approach actually reflects strategic calculation, or whether he is so focused on populism that his reign has become a simple lack of coherent thinking.

With this week’s guest, it’s only natural to touch on ecclesiastical politics as well. Does the Church of England have similar dynamics to the civil service bureaucracy, where risk aversion, procedural expansion, and “barnacle-like” administrative growth can undermine core missions?

What would it really take to rebuild a political culture that genuinely values the judgment of future generations as much as the approval of today’s voters?

For the full, free episode go to:

https://www.outpoststudios.net/s/the-critic-show

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They also look at Keir Starmer’s leadership style, questioning whether his approach actually reflects strategic calculation, or whether he is so focused on populism that his reign has become a simple lack of coherent thinking.

With this week’s guest, it’s only natural to touch on ecclesiastical politics as well. Does the Church of England have similar dynamics to the civil service bureaucracy, where risk aversion, proced…

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They discuss the debate around the Church of England’s push towards reparations, and how initiatives like Project Spire and the historical link to Queen Anne’s Bounty have played a role in where we have ended up today.

Many of the assumptions behind reparations, such as Britain’s wealth being built on slavery, are historically dubious. Crucially, if we started handing out reparations now, would the calls for them ever end? While forgiveness is at the heart of Christian values, is there really a moral case for reparations in the 21st century?

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And don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

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They discuss the debate around the Church of England’s push towards reparations, and how initiatives like Project Spire and the historical link to Queen Anne’s Bounty have played a role in where we have ended up today.

Many of the assumptions behind reparations, such as Britain’s wealth being built on slavery, are historically dubious. Crucially, if we started handing out reparations now, would the calls for them ever end? While forgiveness is at the heart of Christian values, is there really a moral case for reparations in the 21st century?

For the full, uncensored version, go to: https://www.outpoststudios.net/s/the-critic-show

And don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

Whilst there are valiant figures like Mark Rowley and Stephen Watson, their attempts at change in a world dominated by fear of activists are unlikely to be adopted by forces nationwide.

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This month, there’s a bright, lively white Coteaux Bourguignons, Le P’tit Bonheur, that punches far above its station, an opulent and characterful Bourgogne Épineuil Léger with a wonderful backstory, and a richer, more structured Domaine Gachot-Monot Côte de Nuits-Villages that delivers proper red Burgundy depth for a remarkably modest sum. There is, though, a slight note of melancholy hanging over the tasting. After severe flooding at his Monmouth shop and with retirement looming, Tom is no longer shipping new stock, which means that once these bottles are gone, they are gone. A rare chance, then, to buy from one …

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This month, there’s a bright, lively white Coteaux Bourguignons, Le P’tit Bonheur, that punches far above its station, an opulent and characterful Bourgogne Épineuil Léger with a wonderful backstory, and a richer, more structured Domaine Gachot-Monot Côte de Nuits-Villages that delivers proper red Burgundy depth for a remarkably modest sum. There is, though, a slight note of melancholy hanging over the tasting. After severe flooding at his Monmouth shop and with retirement looming, Tom is no longer shipping new stock, which means that once these bottles are gone, they are gone. A rare chance, then, to buy from one of Burgundy’s great independent romantics while there is still wine left in the cellar.

If you’d like a mixed case with two bottles of each featured in the episode, follow the link below:

https://thecritic.co.uk/wine-club/

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https://www.outpoststudios.net/s/the-critic-show

The flip side, of course, is the Spanish right, the growth of Vox, and the wider forces driving political radicalisation. Right-wing parties are gaining ground in Spain, yet, as is his strategy, this polarisation may be good news for Sánchez.

As Spain still struggles with the legacy of Franco, how do its shifting class and regional divides shape voting behaviour, and what does that mean for a fragmenting political system, both in Spain and beyond?

For the full episode, follow the link below:

https://www.outpoststu…

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The flip side, of course, is the Spanish right, the growth of Vox, and the wider forces driving political radicalisation. Right-wing parties are gaining ground in Spain, yet, as is his strategy, this polarisation may be good news for Sanchez.

As Spain still struggles with the legacy of Franco, how do its shifting class and regional divides shape voting behaviour, and what does that mean for a fragmenting political system, both in Spain and beyond?

For the full episode, follow the link below:

https://www.outpoststudios.net/p/how-the-spanish-left-uses-the-right-65a

And don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

In February, Chagossians, landed on Ile Du Coin, an uninhabited outer island which is 135 south of Diego Garcia. The audacious operation was planned by former special forces officer and Conservative MP Adam Holloway. They were ordered to leave by the British Government, and four members of the group took legal action against the commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

It was argued that a 2004 law by the Labour Government, removing the right of Chagossians to enter and remain on the outer islands was unlawful. In a ruling on Tuesday, the BIOT Supreme Court quashed the rule and the commissioner’s order for the Chagossians to leave. The forced removal of the Chagossian people from the Chagos Archipelago between 1965 and 1973 is widely described by international bodies and human rights organisations as a "crime against humanity" and an "appalling colonial crime."

Lawyer James Tumbridge who has represented the Chagossian Government (in exile) who are currently back on the Chagos islands, joins Tom Tugendhat and James Glancy on Outpost to discuss today’s Court verdict.

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Chris unpacks his latest article on green energy, asking why electricity remains expensive if renewables are meant to be cheap. There is widespread misunderstanding of how the national grid actually functions and, as a result, serious discussion is all but impossible.

This month, Tom spoke to Neil O’Brien, the Conservative Party’s policy brain, about how data can inform lawmaking. While he is a dedicated, intelligent and practical figure, is well-argued policy enough to define the broader Conservative philosophy? Or is the party still stuck in the politics of bans?

As is so often the case, any discussion of Tory policy inevitably speaks to the Conservatives’ struggle to regain public trust, with lingering damage from the Brexit era and the missed opportunities of Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak. While the party is not finished, the path back to power is steep.

The team also touch on land use and farming policy, and a new essay by Dominic Green, which traces the arc of Western civilisation and explores how different political traditions, particularly on the American right, compete to define what “civilisation” really means.

We hope you enjoyed this episode, and make sure to subscribe to Outpost so you never miss an episode of The Critic Show.

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Tom Tugendhat and James Glancy discuss who is really benefiting from the conflict. Has easing pressure on Russia shifted the balance in Ukraine, or is Volodymyr Zelenskyy gaining ground diplomatically with Gulf states? With the U.S. distracted, does this present a rare opportunity for China to act on Taiwan…

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Chris and Tom suggest the deeper problem is that the modern left struggles to face political realities. Moral questions are often treated as substitutes for practical ones, leaving basic policy problems unanswered. By focusing on signalling the right values rather than addressing difficult trade-offs, the left often ends up asking the wrong questions altogether. They also look ahead and predict how the left may eventually have to choose where it stands within an increasingly fragmentary right-wing political structure.

Head to https://www.outpoststudios.net/s/the-critic-show for full access to this episode and more thought-provoking political analysis.

Chris and Tom suggest the deeper problem is that the modern left struggles to face political realities. Moral questions are often treated as substitutes for practical ones, leaving basic policy problems unanswered. By focusing on signalling the right values rather than addressing difficult trade-offs, the left often ends up asking the wrong questions altogether. They also look ahead and predict how the left may eventually have to choose where it stands within an increasingly fragmentary right-wing political structure.

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Without its people explicitly voting for it, Britain has drifted into a high-tax, high-transfer system, with little to show in terms of infrastructure or service quality. Once a “temporary” tax is introduced, it is rarely retired.

As Tom points out, a welfare system designed around personal benefit and vote-winning is politically unsustainable. Chris traces the rot to the managerial politics of the mid-1990s, where presentation overtook reform. As the state dominates ever more in the lives of its citizens, personal responsibility becomes an ever more alien idea. The statistics may be imperfect, but the trend is worrying. Britain needs serious structural reform.

Head to https://www.outpoststudios.net/s/the-critic-show for full access to this episode, and more thought-provoking political analysis.