The Critic Show
Episodes
The Green Myth
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As another Easter draws near, so does a new issue of The Critic. Tom, Chris and Graham take listeners through some of their favourite picks from the A...
Why The Left Has Nowhere Left To Go
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week on The Critic Show, Chris and Tom discuss the article “The Left Is Intellectually Exhausted”, which argues that so-called progressives h...
The Welfare State
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Tom and Chris discuss the numbers behind Britain’s welfare state. Around 53 per cent of adults are net recipients of the state, yet most people who ...
The Sectarian State
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Tom and Chris explore the rise of sectarianism in British politics, specifically, the role of Biraderi networks and the extended family str...
Who are The Tories?
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Tom is joined by Poppy Coburn to look at the Conservative Party’s identity crisis and ask whether this is more than another bad election ...
Fracturing the Left
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Bayliss speaks to Fleur Mestron about the slow break-up of the British left, and the end of the Labour party’s gauche-domination from Bloomsbu...
The Critic Show Special: Open Justice
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this Critic Show special, Adam Wren discusses the Open Justice Project, which works with survivors who want their stories told, and the public inqu...
Why Europe Can’t Defend Itself.
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Tom and Chris look at foreign policy, and the widening gulf between Britain’s ambitions and its means. Defence spending is constantly und...
The Critic Show Special: Wine Club
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This month’s Wine Club has Henry Jeffreys in notably good company, Tom Harrow, better known as the WineChap, in town for Burgundy Week and armed wit...
The Cricket Revolution is Eating Itself
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Chris and Tom are joined by Critic associate editor, Patrick Porter, to talk Cricket. Fresh from another disappointing Ashes series, Englan...
Do White Britons owe Black Britons reparations?
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Critic Show, Tom and Chris discuss Samuel Rubinstein’s review of Sir Lenny Henry’s new book The Big Payback, which calls fo...
Is a Reform Government Inevitable?
11 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, Nigel Farage was the ultimate political outsider, yet, after a year of topping the polls by some margin, it is slowly dawning on Westmins...
The Secret Cult Behind AI
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Has western policy-making been broken by AI? Andrew Orlowski thinks so. The writer and journalist believes that our governing elites have become obses...
The Palace of Westminster is falling down.
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.outpoststudios.netThe creaking edifice of British politics, without urgent intervent...
Why is the Right So Bad At Culture?
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.outpoststudios.netWhilst the high culture of classical art and music has often been ...
The Immigration Age
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fleur Meston and Poppy Coburn talk about how much the Overton Window has shifted in the last year, and how the continuing political rhetorical war aro...
Is Britain's Economy Fake?
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Chris Bayliss and Poppy Coburn discuss Britain’s new command economy, and why the free market is anything but.Head to www.outpoststudios....
Crime and No Punishment
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Bayliss and Tom Jones if Britain’s punishment system is really that broken, and if our authorities are giving up on crime and punishmentHead t...
The British Army: Decline and Fall?
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the season of goodwill, and in the first of our new Critic Show Graham Stewart joins Tom Jones to discuss the editorial themes of the Critic’...
Introducing The Critic Show
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hello, and welcome to The Critic Show.Let’s not bother burying the lede. Britain’s best in-print periodical and online comment engine is re-launch...
173: On cockroaches and cancellation (w/ James Dreyfus)
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Actor James Dreyfus joins Jo Bartosch to discuss the gender wars, cancel culture and the stifling of individuality in art.
172: Progressive realism
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can Labour's new foreign policy doctrine work in our troubled world? Professor Patrick Porter joins Sebastian Milbank to discuss this, the Chagos Isla...
171: The world is not enough
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In an age of globalisation could world government be on the horizon? Gal Treger joins Sebastian Milbank to discuss his recent article, and how deeper ...
170: Post election rundown
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Three very sleepy men discuss the election result. In an heroic bit of Critic broadcasting, Richard Johnson, a senior lecturer in politics at Queen Ma...
169: Critic election day special — William Clouston
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As Britain goes to the polls, we look at one of the election's untold stories — the emergence of a revived SDP (Social Democratic Party), carrying f...
168: Elder abuse
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our latest Critic podcast, we peer over the pond to the American elections. Last night saw the first (and perhaps last) debate between Trump and Bi...
167: The Road to the Cass Review — (5) Lord Moonie
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The publication of the Cass Review validated many of the concerns that “gender-critical” commentators and activists had expressed about transgende...
166: Trouble in Toryland
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On the latest Critic election podcast, we're talking Tories. Sebastian Milbank is joined by Henry Hill, Deputy Editor of Conservative Home, and Fred d...
165: Populism on the march
10 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As populists make gains in the EU elections, and Reform rises in the polls in Britain, we ask if Europe's future, on both sides of the channel, is wit...
164: The Labour voter blues
08 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
According to a recent report, 40 per cent of Labour voters can be descried as "blue values voters" — economic and social conservatives who want grea...
163: The Road to the Cass Review — (4) Keira Bell and Paul Conrathe
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The publication of the Cass Review validated many of the concerns that “gender-critical” commentators and activists had expressed about transgende...
162: The Road to the Cass Review — (3) Sue and Marcus Evans
29 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The publication of the Cass Review validated many of the concerns that “gender-critical” commentators and activists had expressed about transgende...
161: The Road to the Cass Review — (2) Stephanie Davies-Arai
22 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The publication of the Cass Review validated many of the concerns that “gender-critical” commentators and activists had expressed about transgende...
160: The Road to the Cass Review — (1) Dr Michael Biggs
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The publication of the Cass Review validated many of the concerns that “gender-critical” commentators and activists had expressed about transgende...
159: Ridiculous research and irate academics (w/ Charlotte Gill)
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Josephine Bartosch is joined by Charlotte Gill to discuss silly academic research, the right to debate the apportioning of taxpayers’ money and our ...
158: The crisis in the universities
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An all star panel of Critic editors and contributors, chaired by deputy editor Graham Stewart, addressed the theme of the crisis in the universities. ...
157: A tale of two Englands
16 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
156: Their transition too (w/ Emma B)
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Emma B from Children of Transitioners joins Jo Bartosch to discuss growing up with a trans father and the material and psychological challenges that i...
155: Blurred thin blue lines (w/ Lisa Townsend)
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lisa Townsend, Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner, joins Jo Bartosch to discuss attempts to have her removed from her position for opposing the prin...
154: The state of the arts (w/ Pierre d'Alancaisez)
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Curator and critic Pierre d’Alancaisez joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss the delusions of the art world and the opportunities for independent creativity...
153: Who governs Britain? (w/ David Scullion)
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Former Braverman special advisor David Scullion joins Sebastian Milbank to discuss the Home Secretary's departure, what a SpAd is, and the ongoing bat...
152: Karens and cohesion (w/ Ellen Pasternack)
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and researcher Ellen Pasternack joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss telling people off on the tube and the fluctuating nature of social cohesion.
151: A load of hot air (w/ Barry Norris)
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Barry Norris joins Graham Stewart to discuss his new Critic cover story “Britain, goner with the wind” and the fallacies behind the growth of wi...
150: From TV to the trans debate (w/ Graham Linehan)
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jo Bartosch interviews comedy writer and author Graham Linehan about his new book Tough Crowd and what led him to write it.
149: Hungary, last safe haven of the West? (w/Rod Dreher)
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and commentator Rod Dreher in conversation with Critic executive editor Sebastian Milbank, to talk about Israel-Palestine, Viktor Orbán, and t...
148: The bully state (w/ Christopher Snowdon)
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and researcher Christopher Snowdon joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss smoking, vapes, obesity and all kinds of prohibitionism.
147: Mysteries of history (w/ Samuel Rubinstein)
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The writer Samuel Rubinstein joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss historical controversies, political controversies and where the two meet.
146: Glastonburied (w/ David Butterfield)
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dr David Butterfield, Literary Editor of The Critic, joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss his new article on Glastonbury, the different identities of the fe...
145: The wisdom of gamekeepers (w/ Patrick Galbraith)
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Sixsmith is joined by the writer Patrick Galbraith to talk about hunting, endangered ways of life and what opinion columnists can learn from gamek...
144: Uni tunes (w/ Charlie Bentley-Astor)
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Writer Charlie Bentley-Astor joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss Cambridge cancel culture, declining birth rates, decolonisation and the diminished prospect...
143: Out of the Ashes (w/ Nick Timothy)
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Opinion columnists are experts at picking through ashes, and here Nick Timothy joins Ben Sixsmith to do it in a more literal sense as they discuss the...
142: The making of an energy horror story (w/ James McSweeney)
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and researcher James McSweeney joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss a future of energy shortages, institutional dysfunction, and why the beliefs, not ...
141: Defenestrating a feminist filmmaker (w/ Vaishnavi Sundar)
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jo Bartosch interviews India's most provocative feminist filmmaker, Vaishnavi Sundar, on her work on gender issues and the ensuing controversy
140: The uncivil service (w/ Radomir Tylecote)
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Graham Stewart and Dr Radomir Tylecote debate and discuss the extent to which the civil service has been politicised and obstructs democratic processe...
139: The limits of nationalism (w/ Adrian Pabst)
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Deputy director of the NIESR (National Institute of Economic and Social Research) Professor Adrian Pabst joints executive editor Sebastian Milbank to ...
138: Writing the world to rights (w/ Jo Bartosch)
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jo Bartosch joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss the trials and triumphs of freelance writing, the state of the gender wars and the even darker side of porno...
137: Hope for helots? (w/ Tom Jones)
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Jones joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss the impoverished prospects for British youth, Conservative self-harm and the need for major national reform.
136: Decline and crawl (w/ Ed West)
28 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The author and commentator Ed West joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss the right-wing media, the pathologies of progressivism and the greying of British lif...
135: Badmission procedures (w/ Kittie Helmick)
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kittie Helmick joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss equality in education and the dangers of treating inclusion as an end in itself.
134: London calling (w/ Charlotte Gill)
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Journalist Charlotte Gill joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss London under Sadiq Khan, the classism of environmental regulations, and the politicisation of ...
133: Britain and the Blob (w/ Poppy Coburn)
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Journalist Poppy Coburn joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss the charity sector, Conservative failings and her problems with the concept of post-liberalism.
132: Not going to be ignored (w/ Victoria Smith)
29 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Victoria Smith joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss her new book "Hags", the intersection of ageism and misogyny, and why J.K. Rowling makes people lose thei...
131: Mission accomplished? (w/ Ben Sixsmith and Sebastian Milbank)
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Sixsmith and Sebastian Milbank discuss the 20th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the ongoing consequences of the war, and why Alastair Campbel...
130: Performance politics (w/ Lola Salem)
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lola Salem joins Ben Sixsmith to discuss gender politics, parenthood and the workplace, and the right-wing critique of art.
129: Every British politics podcast
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Online Editor Ben Sixsmith takes a wry look at the week's events with Online Editor Ben Sixsmith
128: Disinformation and the nation (w/ Fred Skulthorp)
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Online Editor Ben Sixsmith speaks to Fred Skulthorp about his new print piece "The keyboard secret army", online disinformation, the journalists who h...
127: Britain's grooming shame (w/ Charlie Peters)
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Sixsmith talks to Charlie Peters about his new “GB News Investigates” documentary Grooming Gangs: Britain’s Shame and the multi-layered scan...
126: All things alcohol (w/ Henry Jeffreys)
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Sixsmith speaks to Henry Jeffreys, the author of Empire of Booze, The Home Bar and the forthcoming Vines in a Cold Climate, about alcohol and all ...
125: Mistletoe and whine
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sebastian Milbank and Ben Sixsmith join forces once again to discuss Americanisation, commercialisation, the real roots of Christmas and the ideal pre...
124: World War E
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Sixsmith and Sebastian Milbank discuss social media, Elon Musk, the corruption of online spaces and their least favourite Twitter accounts.
123: The red ripple
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Sixsmith and Sebastian Milbank discuss the American midterms, their implications for the rest of the world, and why the hell Britons are so obsess...
122: Our first Californian PM?
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Online Editor Sebastian Milbank joins Contributing Editor Ben Sixsmith to discuss the prospects of the new Tory government, the media's Suella obsessi...
121: Bye-bye Boris
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, The Critic's deputy editor, Graham Stewart, talks to the magazine's parliamentary sketchwriter, Rob Hutton, about covering the Prime ...
120: Tribes of Westminster: Steve Baker MP, Christian Libertarian
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Tribes of Westminster is a new monthly podcast co-produced by the Critic and the New Social Covenant Unit, seeking to unearth the intellectual roo...
119: The not-so-beautiful game
03 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the June 2022 issue of The Critic, Nick Timothy wrote that football needed to “search its conscience”, regarding the growing trend of clubs sel...
118: In conversation with Laura Dodsworth
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Olivia Hartley and Laura Dodsworth discuss Laura's article for the May 2022 issue of The Critic, "The false euphoria of dysphoria", the kickback she r...
117: What would Boris do if he had to resign?
07 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most ex-Prime Ministers struggle with life after Downing Street. But would Boris bounce back and, if so, in what role? In this podcast, his former Tel...
116: New Labour, new danger?
01 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Historian of the Labour movement Anthony Broxton talks to Critic online editor Sebastian Milbank to mark 25 years since the 1997 election that saw Ton...
115: In Sparta: How Brexit happened
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Three years ago the UK had been due to leave the EU. But on the same day, 28 MPs voted against Theresa May's EU Withdrawal deal and hoped for a clean ...
114: Is NATO to blame for the war in Ukraine?
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Journalist, author and Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens joins Professor Adrian Pabst, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Economic and...
113: Remembering Richard Shepherd
02 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sir Richard Shepherd, for 35 years an independently minded Conservative MP, died last month. How should he be remembered? As a Eurosceptic and a natur...
112: Ukraine special
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Online Editor Sebastian Milbank hosts a special Critic Podcast special reacting to Russian's invasion of the Ukraine. He's joined by Patrick Porter, P...
111: Is levelling up the answer to Britain's problems?
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of The Critic Podcast Professor Adrian Pabst, Alys Denby and Imogen Sinclair discuss whether the government's levelling up agenda is e...
110: Julie Bindel in conversation with Raquel Rosario Sanchez
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Raquel Rosario Sanchez is going to court to fight a trial against the University of Bristol for failing to protect her from bullying and harassment by...
109: Is the myth of the “plucky Brit" false?
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of The Critic podcast, Deputy Editor Graham Stewart is joined by Professor Phillips O'Brien and The Critic's sketch-writer Robert Hutt...
London gossip, Dickensian Christmasses and experimental castles
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to The Critic Narrated, where we bring you a selection of articles from our print issues, read aloud by their authors. In this episode, ...
Fast food and stolen goods
03 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to The Critic Narrated, where we bring you a selection of articles from our print issues, read aloud by their authors. In this episode...
Unexpected music and a crisis of theology
26 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to The Critic Narrated, where we bring you a selection of articles from our print issues, read aloud by their authors. In this episode...
Feminists, F1 rivalries and couples therapy
19 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, David Starkey says Feminists like Stock have made a belated rediscovery of biological reality in his column ‘Welcome back to realit...
Thai feasts, muscular unionists and the need for literary panjandrums
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hello and welcome back to The Critic Narrated, where we bring you a selection of articles from our print issues, read aloud by their authors. In th...
Is Britain winning the fishing wars?
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As President Macron climbs down on his deadline to punish Britain over fishing licences, David Scullion asks Patrick O'Flynn whether Britain is getti...
Dilyn goes to Glasgow COP26
05 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to The Critic Narrated, where we bring you a selection of articles from our print issues, read aloud by their authors. In this episode...
It's time to resurrect forgiveness
29 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Critic Narrated, Revd. Marcus Walker, Rector of Great St Bart’s in the City of London, reads his piece ‘Resurrect Forgivene...
Welcome to Tufton Street!
22 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to The Critic Podcast, and welcome to our new series: The Critic Narrated! Each week, we will be bringing you a selection articles from...
Can countries ever really be friends?
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After the US withdrawal from Afghanistan ignited a bitter briefing war between the President and members of the British Cabinet, it seemed that Britai...
Canada's gender ideology obsession
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of The Critic's podcast, publisher Olivia Hartley speaks to Chris Elston — A.K.A Billboard Chris — about the progression of gender...
Consumerism, woke identity politics and the corporatist agenda
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
By his own admission, Vivek Ramaswamy is a traitor to his class. A self-made man who founded a successful bio-tech firm in his 20s, Ramaswamy’s stor...
Save the Parish
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A campaign is underway to elect members to the General Synod of the Church of England under a “Save the Parish” banner. The campaign leader Marcus...
The Afghanistan Withdrawal
20 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The dramatic events in Afghanistan in recent days mark many things. The end of America’s longest war, the end of the post-9/11 era and the return of...
Inside the new gender critical research network
23 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, The Critic's publisher, Olivia Hartley, speaks to Dr Jon Pike, co-convener of the newly established Open University Gender Critical ...