The Critic is Britain’s new monthly magazine for politics, ideas, art, literature and much more. Co-edited by Michael Mosbacher and Christopher Montgomery, The Critic exists to push back against a self-regarding and dangerous consensus that finds critical voices troubling, triggering, insensitive and disrespectful. The point is not provocation or trolling. The point of honest criticism is to better approach truth, not deny its possibility.

Ossified thought and a lack of intellectual rigour are depressing features of all sides of today’s political and cultural debate. Our writers will subscribe to no editorial line nor serve the interests of any party, faction or cause. We ask them to write because we expect them to be honest, and lucidly so. Look to our contributors and fault us if they are not. 

Contributors to the magazine include Jonathan Meades, Douglas Murray, Nick Cohen, Joshua Rozenberg, Anne McElvoy, Norman Lebrecht, Daniel Johnson, Lisa Hilton, Hannah Betts and Artists in Residence Adam Dant and Miriam Elia.

With its unrivalled breadth of books and arts reviews, the Christmas double issue of The Critic will keep you informed and entertained throughout the season of goodwill.

The first of the magazine’s new series of long-form essays provides an in-depth and inside account of how the British Army is no longer among the most feared and respected fighting forces in the world. What went wrong and is it too late to put right?

Mark Littlewood argues that a failure to adapt to Britain’s political realignment explains the Conservative Party’s plight, whilst Sebastian Milbank maintains that it is the Labour Party that has failed to make the weather. Former Ofsted boss, Amanda Spielman, outlines why the civil service is mandated not to be impartial, and Helen Joyce asks what will replace transgenderism as the big progressive cause of our times.

Also, Marcus Walker seeks inspiration and solace in Dubai and Venice, Patrick Kidd bids a “ciao” to the old San Siro, Norman Lebrecht laments classical music’s bruising year, Jonathan Glancey admires the post-industrial ruins of Britain’s redundant cooling towers, Alexander Larman toasts Simon Raven and Henry Jeffreys launches The Critic’s wine club in time for Christmas. Cheers!