“Being ‘grown-up’ might just mean keeping everybody calm as the ship sinks” — Ben Sixsmith suggests that being prime minister in times like these requires more than just keeping the ship of state on an even keel thecritic.co.uk/The-bizarre-fe…

.Wessie du Toit argues that the Battersea Power Station keeps the past alive only in the sterile form of a branded product: “The power station has become its own death mask” thecritic.co.uk/Powerless-heri…

“What ‘this isn’t sexist because I know it could be sexist’ really meant was ‘this is sexist, but I don’t care’” — Victoria Smith discusses the 1990s phenomenon of ironic sexism and how it has been reborn in the trans movement thecritic.co.uk/A-dick-move

.Dr Mario Trabucco della Torretta, ACIM critiques the modern Greek state for idealising classical Athens: “Amidst widespread condemnation of the scientific community, the Acropolis of Athens is stripped of every last trace of its Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian and Turkish past” thecritic.co.uk/The-immoral-ca…

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“Gender identity is an affront to the safeguarding of children” — Debbie Hayton 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 argues that children need to be taught the truth about sex thecritic.co.uk/Gendomercials

.Krzysztof Tyszka-Drozdowski discusses how much the line between military and commercially used technology is blurred in China: “Advanced semiconductors, supercomputers and AI are not neutral technologies, but rather conditions of possibility for modern weapon systems” thecritic.co.uk/The-Technologi…

Supporters of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion have objected to the government prosecuting protestors for breaking the law. Tony Dowson shows how the history of civil disobedience necessitates a response from the criminal justice system thecritic.co.uk/The-right-to-p…

.Dr Rakib Ehsan critiques Sunak for making himself look unsympathetic to British citizens struggling economically in some of the most disadvantaged areas thecritic.co.uk/Dont-underesti…

The United States and the Soviet Union managed to keep the lines of communication open even at the height of the Cold War. Daniel DePetris sees no reason why Russia and the US can’t do the same thecritic.co.uk/The-US-must-re…

I have a piece for The Critic talking about this dynamic.

.Tony Dowson recounts historical examples of the criminal justice system dealing with cases of civil disobedience: “The Suffragettes deliberately broke the law and were convicted for it” thecritic.co.uk/The-right-to-p…

“Sunak has an uplifting personal story to tell based on parental migrant aspiration, strong family values, academic excellence and professional advancement” — Dr Rakib Ehsan warns Labour not to focus on identitarian leftist attacks on Sunak’s authenticity thecritic.co.uk/Dont-underesti…

Political commentators love vague personal qualities like being “grown-up”, writes Ben Sixsmith, because they tend not to much about anything that matters thecritic.co.uk/the-bizarre-fe…

.Daniel DePetris argues that the best way to prevent nuclear war would be for US leaders to re-open the strategic stability discussions with Russia: “Maintaining the boycott now is downright negligent” thecritic.co.uk/The-US-must-re…

“Where the process of law-breaking is designed to highlight a separate issue, the protester takes the punishment as evidence of his sincerity” — Tony Dowson defines civil disobedience as opposed to militant action thecritic.co.uk/The-right-to-p…

.Dr Rakib Ehsan highlights that both Leavers and Remainers want more family-focused social policy: “Within his socio-economic framework based on fiscal credibility, Sunak has a golden opportunity to promote a family-oriented traditionalism” thecritic.co.uk/Dont-underesti…

“The truth, however, is nobody can know for sure what is inside Putin’s head at any given time” — Daniel DePetris considers how viable Putin’s threats of nuclear war might be thecritic.co.uk/The-US-must-re…

.Tony Dowson reminds us that people who break the law have always faced consequences thecritic.co.uk/The-right-to-p…