The Rest Is Politics
Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart break down current affairs in the UK and abroad. The Rest Is Politics analyses the latest international news, provides debate on global issues, and reveals secrets from Westminster, whilst bringing back the lost art of disagreeing agreeably. With insider perspectives and expert analysis, The Rest Is Politics is the go-to podcast for anyone seeking intelligent, engaging discussions on British and global politics. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Join with a FREE TRIAL at therestispolitics.com for exclusive bonus content including Rory and Alastair’s first ever miniseries, early access to episodes and live show tickets, ad free listening, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members chatroom. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Social Producer: Celine Charles Lead Video Editor: Josh Smith Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames
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Episodes
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The Greatest Threat Humans Just Can’t Stomach with Yuval Noah Harari
Friday, 18 September 2026
Episode 2 is available right now for TRIP Plus members. Sign up at therestispolitics.com What can the Aztec Empire's catastrophic failure to understand Cortés and the Spanish conquistadors teach us about the threat AI poses today? Why does Yuval Noah Harari believe our gut refuses to accept an "alien intelligence" our brains already understand to be a threat? And can Britain avoid becoming an "AI vassal state" - or has that moment already passed? Rory is joined by Professor Yuval Noah Harari for Part 1 of their conversation on existential threats. Part 2 is available now for TRIP Plus...
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572. Trump’s Next Middle East Crisis and Reform’s £72m Megadonation
Thursday, 17 September 2026
Is the Houthis' seizure of one of the world's most critical waterways the clearest proof yet that Trump's Iran war has become a catastrophe? With the very people building AI now calling for a pause, is real regulation finally coming, or will tech billionaires keep writing the rules themselves? And with Reform banking £72 million from two crypto billionaires, why is Britain one of the only democracies with no cap on political donations? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister ...
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571. Rory and Alastair Challenge Ed Miliband on Israel-Palestine
Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Why has Ed Miliband gone further than any previous foreign secretary in announcing the occupation of the Palestinian territories as illegal and placing sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank? Can these limited sanctions really achieve their stated aim of “salvaging” the two-state solution? Will Britain now follow Mark Carney in building a new alliance of middle powers independent of the US and China? Alastair and Rory are joined by Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, to answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time....
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"Our Generation Was Lied To": Two Gen Z MPs on Fixing Politics
Friday, 11 September 2026
To hear the full series “The Gen Z Story”, sign up at the restispolitics.com – use your student email for a discount How do you get older colleagues to take you seriously when you become an MP at 25? Has the social contract between the state and young people been irreparably broken? And how should Andy Burnham tackle the biggest challenges facing young people today — the mental health crisis, student loan debt, a lack of jobs and opportunities, and the impossibility of getting on the housing ladder? Keir Mather and Rosie Wrighting, two Gen Z MPS, discuss all these topics and more with...
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570. Why Trump Acts Like a Russian Asset and Miliband’s West Bank Sanctions
Thursday, 10 September 2026
After Trump’s latest betrayal of Ukraine, why does he act like a Russian asset? Has John Healy already missed his moment to be a radical Chancellor, and does Ed Miliband’s move to impose economic sanctions on Israeli settlements prove he would have been the bolder choice? Is the President of Serbia a fascist? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Anthony Scaramucci by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics ...
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569. Farage’s Foreign Funding Scandal and Germany’s Far-Right Breakthrough
Wednesday, 9 September 2026
As the Alternative for Germany party secured its best ever election result in Saxony-Anhalt, is the country about to get its first far-right state premier since the Nazi Party, and will Chancellor Friedrich Merz survive the fallout? What does an undercover documentary on Reform's fundraising reveal about the men presenting themselves as the movement's moral and intellectual core, and has the law been broken? Is Europe now entering a new era defined by right-wing extremism? Alastair and Rory are joined by Deputy Editor of Bild-Zeitung, Paul Ronzheimer, who has been on the ground in Saxony-A...
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Becoming Burnham: The Manchester Arena Call, Westminster Plotting, and Keir vs Andy
Thursday, 3 September 2026
To hear the full episode, and the whole series, sign up at therestispolitics.com How did Andy Burnham learn about the Manchester Arena bombing? Would he still have tried to become PM had Keir Starmer let him stand in the Gorton and Denton byelection? And when did tensions between Keir and Andy really begin? Join Alastair Campbell and Steve Rotheram as they address all these questions and much more on Becoming Burnham Producer: India Dunkley Researcher: Miranda Crawford Video Editor: Josh Smith Social Producer: Celine Charles Executive Producer: Emily Kent Smith Learn more about...
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568. MAGA's Plan to Make Britain Look Broken and Iceland's 'Brexit' Moment
Thursday, 3 September 2026
Did Iceland's rejection of EU membership talks repeat the same mistakes as Britain's Remain campaign, and does it hand a dangerous propaganda win to Farage, Putin, and the wider anti-European right? As Russia warns of "consequences" over British missiles built in Ukraine, is the West sleepwalking towards direct confrontation? With one in four Americans now convinced British society is broken, is Trump deliberately weaponising Britain to justify its own domestic agenda? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ E...
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567. Who Really Benefits from AI and Will Data Centres Decide the Midterms?
Wednesday, 2 September 2026
Why is the backlash against data centres becoming one of the most combustible issues in US politics? What does an AI system's attempt to cheat, cover its tracks, and break into another company’s website reveal about our ability to keep these systems under control? After the catastrophic flash floods in Nepal, why does the funding for climate adaptation often fail the countries that need it most? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Dan Neidle by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deepe...
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Becoming Burnham: People Pleasing, The Shadow Years and Losing to Jeremy Corbyn
Thursday, 27 August 2026
Who are the political figures that shaped Andy Burnham? How far will the new PM go to be liked? And what impact did losing to Jeremy Corbyn's popularity 'tsunami' have on his career - and confidence? Join Alastair Campbell and Steve Rotheram as they address all these questions and much more on Becoming Burnham Producer: India Dunkley Researcher: Miranda Crawford Video Editor: Josh Smith Social Producer: Celine Charles Executive Producer: Emily Kent Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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566. Carney vs. Trump and Alastair’s Advice for Burnham’s First PMQs
Thursday, 27 August 2026
Why is Mark Carney choosing economic pain over a deal on tariffs with Trump? As Palestinians prepare to vote for the first time in 20 years, why has Mahmoud Abbas decided that now is finally the moment to hold elections, and will Israel block them? With Andy Burnham preparing for his first Prime Minister's Questions, what advice does Alastair have on where Kemi Badenoch is most likely to strike? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with the President of UEFA, Aleksander Č...
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565. Zelenskyy’s Corruption Problem and Is History Repeating Itself in Germany?
Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Why did Andy Burnham choose Kyiv, not Washington or Brussels, for his first foreign trip as Prime Minister? Is the tide at home turning against President Zelenskyy, and do fresh corruption scandals pose an existential threat to Ukraine’s war effort? With the AfD on course to break through in state elections for the first time, is Germany's “firewall” against the far-right about to collapse? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with the President of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin, by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, ...
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Becoming Burnham: Thatcher, Hillsborough, and the Anger that Shaped Him | Part 1
Thursday, 20 August 2026
To hear the full episode and the series as it drops, sign up up at therestispolitics.com Alastair is joined by Andy Burnham’s closest confidant, friend and former colleague, Steve Rotheram – the Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region to discuss… Who really is Andy Burnham, and how is he going to change Britain? How have events like Hillsborough, and Thatcher’s Northern neglect shaped him? And, how does he contend with his imposter syndrome, his ‘Catholic guilt complex’, and his restless desire to be liked? Producer: India Dunkley Researcher: Miranda Crawford Video Editor: Josh...
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564. Burnham’s Media Machine and West Bank Settler Impunity
Thursday, 20 August 2026
Is Burnham’s Britain’s first ‘TikTok Prime Minister’ and what does that mean for accountability, old-fashioned journalism, and the Westminster lobby? Why are violent Israeli settlers able to act with impunity against Palestinians in the West Bank, and is Israel effectively annexing the territory? Should young people spend the last two weeks of their summer holidays thinking about the challenges facing the world? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. Get involved with Politika’s Policy Ideas for Positive Change HER...
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563. Britain’s Afghanistan Shame and the Jason Arday Tragedy
Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Five years after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover, why has not a single Western government marked the anniversary of a war that cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars? Why has Russia's last liberal anti-war party been banned ahead of next month's Duma elections, and is it a sign of Putin's strength or his weakness? What does the media frenzy that engulfed Jason Arday before his death reveal about how quickly we strip vulnerable people of their humanity? Join Rory, Alastair and Shoshana Stewart, as they answer all these questions and more. __________ E...
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Will Climate Action Go Backwards Under Burnham?
Friday, 14 August 2026
Should Andy Burnham deliver a covid style national emergency briefing to inform the public about the climate emergency? How do we foster cross-party consensus on the climate emergency? And, can we balance the need to build data centres and protect the environment? Join Alastair Campbell, Rory Stewart and Caroline Lucas as they discuss all of these questions and more. To watch Caroline’s four part series on climate as a national security threat, sign up at therestispolitcs.com Read the redacted Joint Intelligence Committee Report here Find out more about the Nation...
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562. The Right’s War With Itself and Burnham’s Prisons Challenge
Thursday, 13 August 2026
With Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe trading blows, is the British right tearing itself apart, and will Kemi Badenoch destroy the Conservative Party by chasing Reform and Restore voters rather than the centre ground? With prisons at breaking point and reoffending rates soaring, why aren’t governments honest about the real causes of the crisis, or the solutions? As the Rhine falls to record lows and Germany's economy takes the hit, is this the clearest sign yet that the climate crisis is now an economic one? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enj...
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561. How Trump’s Chaos Keeps Splintering the World Order
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
As a new military alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan the first sign that America's allies no longer trust its guarantees? Why are politicians refusing to admit how fast America is burning through its Patriot missiles in Iran? With suspected Russian drones probing Europe, is the Kremlin about to test NATO like never before? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Johnny Mercer by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up ...
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The Truth About Climate Migration – It's More Complicated Than You Think
Thursday, 6 August 2026
To hear the whole episode and catch up on the rest of the series, which includes a deep dive into food security, water scarcity and the suppressed national security report, sign up at therestispolitics.com Are people really migrating because of changes in the climate? Who pays when a nation is destroyed by a crisis it didn't cause? And what does it cost, financially and emotionally, to leave home for good? Join Caroline Lucas, Alex Randall and Aminath Shauna as they discuss all of these questions and more. Read the redacted Joint Intelligence Committee Report here Fin...
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560. Trump's Hamas Disarmament 'Deal' and Europe's FIFA Boycott
Thursday, 6 August 2026
As Trump's Board of Peace unveils a plan to disarm Hamas, will the group now give up its weapons and what would this mean for Gaza's future? Amid an escalation of violence on the West Bank and with settlements continuing to grow, why does the US President appear not to care? In the wake of the Gianni Infantino revelations, does the head of FIFA actually hate football? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Watch Rory and Alastair’s interview with Count Binface by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouT...
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559. Who Really Benefits from the Ceuta Migration Crisis?
Wednesday, 5 August 2026
Why did 50,000 people risk their lives in an attempt to cross the Morocco-Spain border? What do the pictures emerging from the enclave of Ceuta reveal about the bigger migration story? Why did right-wing figures across the world, from Donald Trump to Elon Musk and Giorgia Meloni, all weigh in? Alastair and Rory are joined by immigration expert Gerald Knaus as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Watch Rory and Alastair’s interview with Count Binface by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. We want to know what you think about the climate crisis! For a chance...
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Data Centres vs. Drinking Water: What Matters To Us Most?
Thursday, 30 July 2026
To hear the full episode, which includes an interview with global water expert, Sandra Postel, sign up at the therestispolitics.com With the government quietly categorising data centres as ‘critical infrastructure’, could we ever be in a situation where data centre water supply is prioritised over the water that comes out of our taps? Why do we no have clear data that tells just how much water data centres use? And why are so many data centres being built in areas which are already water stressed? Join Caroline Lucas and Ollie Hayes as they all of these questions and more. Rea...
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558. The 'Cockroach' Uprising and Should We Stop Data Centres?
Thursday, 30 July 2026
Is Modi's power finally cracking as the Cockroach Janta Party's mass protests force a minister to resign for the first time in over a decade? Does the new US-Saudi uranium deal risk triggering a fresh wave of nuclear proliferation across the Middle East and beyond? If AI data centres are the foundation of future defence and security, can Britain build them without wrecking its water supplies and climate targets? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Kristrún Frostadót...
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557. Can Burnham Deliver Britain's Biggest Change in Generations?
Wednesday, 29 July 2026
Can Andy Burnham, in a single term or less, fix problems like social care that are generations in the making? Is his new push for vocational education a long-overdue fix for Britain's broken skills system, or a betrayal of the working-class kids who have the most to gain from a rigorous academic education? As wildfires tear through France and Spain, have we already passed the climate and nature tipping point? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Kristrún Frostadóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland, by searchin...
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Britain's Ticking Time Bomb: The Food Security Crisis
Thursday, 23 July 2026
Could the UK be facing empty supermarket shelves by 2030? Are food distribution centres sitting ducks for drone warfare? And how has Britain got to a place where is has just 3 days to 3 weeks worth of food supplies? This week, Caroline Lucas sits down with food security expert, Professor Paul Behrens from the University of Oxford. To hear the full episode and the whole series as it drops, sign up here or at therestispolitics.com Please continue to send in your questions for Caroline, Alastair and Rory. Read the redacted Joint Intelligence Committee Report here Find out ...
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556. The US-China AI Arms Race and Badenoch vs. Rory’s Centrism
Thursday, 23 July 2026
Is China quietly outsmarting the US in the AI arms race, and is Trump laying the pitch to challenge the results of the US midterms with his repeated, unfounded claims of Chinese election meddling? Why has Zelenskyy sacked his popular defence minister just as Ukraine is winning on the battlefield? Does Kemi Badenoch’s purge of Rory-adjacent centrists from the Conservative Party show she is even more ruthless than Margaret Thatcher? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with...
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555. Burnham’s Cabinet Purge and the Rough Sleeping Pledge
Tuesday, 21 July 2026
What does Andy Burnham’s purge of Starmer loyalists from the top of government tell us about how the new British prime minister will govern the UK? Why did Ed Miliband drop his ten-year Energy Security and Net Zero project to become Foreign Secretary? Can Burnham end rough sleeping nationally, after struggling to do so in Manchester? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politic...
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The Secret Security Threat The Government Don’t Want Us To Know
Thursday, 16 July 2026
Why did the government suppress a report written by senior intelligence officials which named climate and nature collapse as a national security threat? How could ecosystem collapse lead to empty super market shelves, water scarcity and increased risk of conflict? And, ultimately, why has this not become a bigger conversation among politicians? Sign up here to watch the whole episode and the rest of the series as it drops. Join Caroline Lucas, former leader of The Green Party, as she speaks with senior British army officer, Lt General Richard Nugee and former British diplomat and secu...
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554. Burnham’s Worldview, Trump's Ceasefire Collapse, and Advising Count Binface
Thursday, 16 July 2026
Can Andy Burnham's 'Makerfield test' survive contact with a world of Trump, China, and a raging Iran crisis? Why did every one of Netanyahu's promises to Trump about the war with Iran - from destroying the ballistic missile programme to fomenting revolution - turn out to be wrong? What advice does Alastair have for Count Binface in his fight against Nigel Farage in Clacton? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Gabriel Zucman by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple...
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553. Farage in Meltdown and The Killing of Ann Widdecombe
Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Has Nigel Farage finally hit his tipping point, and could Count Binface deliver the ultimate humiliation in Clacton? Why are police warning against speculation over the killing of Ann Widdecombe, and is Reform trying to weaponise her death? Was Rory Stewart aware of any of this during his twelve day silent retreat? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Gabriel Zucman by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter ...
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