The Critic Magazine

27 June 2024

In the July issue of The Critic, Tom Hamilton argues that there is more to Keir Starmer’s success than the sum of his opponents’ failings and Tony Blair’s former political secretary, John McTernan, sends the new Prime Minister a memo setting out five rules for governing. Sam Bidwell gives rebuilding lessons to the remains of the Conservative Party and Daniel Johnson reflects on the purposefulness of politicians who fail in their mission to reshape politics. Also, Sumantra Maitra and Adam LeBor report from a Hungary that is courting China but rejecting mass migration, Clive Aslet is appalled by Tate Britain’s treatment of the artist Rex Whistler, Paul Burke explores how the Britain’s publishing industry’s leading women have reshaped the books trade, Jacob Phillips salutes the 1990s as our last great decade, Sean Egan defends Ringo Starr’s drumstick prowess, Anne McElvoy savours Kiss Me Kate and Boris Starling salutes German’s footballing spaceman Thomas Müller.