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.
