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: Chris Sawyer General Manager: Tom Whiter
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Episodes
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542. Starmer Loses His Defence Secretary: What Next?
Thursday, 11 June 2026
What does John Healey's shock resignation mean for Keir Starmer, whose position is already on the line ahead of Andy Burnham's crunch by-election in Makerfield? Who might replace Healey in one of the most important jobs in government, at one of the most dangerous moments in the UK's history? With NATO allies demanding higher spending on defence and Trump's America growing ever more unpredictable, can Britain afford a government at war with itself over military spending? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this emergency episode. __________ Enjoy Rory...
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541. Trump’s World Cup Mess and Kushner’s Albania Deal
Thursday, 11 June 2026
As the Trump administration blocks a referee from entering the US, is this the most political world cup of all time, and just how messy will it get? Can the Democrats flip the Senate, and would it actually stop Trump? Is Jared Kushner turning the Balkans into his personal property portfolio? 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 Odd Arne Westad by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for...
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540. The Untold Iran Crisis, Henry Nowak, and Farage’s Politics of Rage
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
As Trump’s Iran disaster continues, are we facing a full-blown energy and economic crisis in the UK and beyond? Why are politicians refusing to be honest about the real cost of the Iran crisis? What does the far-right’s response to the Henry Nowak tragedy – from JD Vance to Rupert Lowe – tell us about post-truth populism? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Odd Arne Westad by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free...
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539. Embezzlement, the Mandelson Texts, and Hasan Piker's UK Ban
Thursday, 4 June 2026
What does the SNP embezzlement case reveal about how scandal-ridden British politics is? Is the banning of prominent left-wing American commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur a sensible decision or a serious threat to free speech? After Rory and Alastair discussed their most “evil” handshakes last week, who is the most “angelic” person they have each shaken hands with? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featu...
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538. The Pope’s AI Warning and Alastair Reacts to Blair’s Attack
Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Is Pope Leo’s encyclical the most important contribution to the AI debate so far, and is he doing more to hold Silicon Valley to account than any Western government? What did Alastair say to Tony Blair about his explosive essay attacking the direction of Starmer’s government, the Labour Party, and net zero? Why does Rory think Blair is now closer to JD Vance than to the values that defined New Labour? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exc...
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Who Funds Reform? The Missing Millions
Friday, 29 May 2026
Who is the secretive billionaire bankrolling Reform — and what does he want? How did a brand new party raise and spend £17 million with no public explanation? As Farage inches toward power, who's really pulling the strings? This four part series, made in collaboration with The Observer’s Slow Newscast will explore the money, donors and power networks behind Reform UK. To hear all four episodes as they drop, sign up at therestispolitics.com Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and wee...
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537. Indicting Trump, Israeli Prisons, and Rory vs. Ed Miliband
Thursday, 28 May 2026
What connects Trump’s Cuba blockade and Ben Gvir’s abuse of flotilla activists? As Richard Tice denies climate change science, will reality catch up with Reform UK – and what is Rory’s issue with Ed Miliband’s approach to net zero? Who is the most evil person Rory and Alastair have ever shaken hands with? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alast...
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536. Is Trump’s Corruption Machine Reaching New Extremes?
Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Has the scale of Donald J. Trump’s corruption become too big to prosecute? Is the US Constitution now a roadmap to tyranny instead of a protection against it? Why do 72% of Gen Z think things will only get worse, and can mainstream politics win them back? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com...
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Struggling or Snowflakes? The Gen Z Mental Health Story
Thursday, 21 May 2026
What's behind the rise in young people being diagnosed with mental health problems? Are members of Gen Z less resilient than older generations? Or are they a product of a society that has failed them? Has therapy culture gone too far? Or not far enough? Why are so many young people out of work? Is it laziness? Is something deeper at play? This week in The Gen Z Story, Vicky Spratt is joined by three guests: psychologist and expert in adolescent mental health, Dr Lucy Foulkes, Shuab Gamote, researcher and co-author of “Inside the Mind of a 16-year-old” and "Inside the Mind of a Young NEE...
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535. The Ebola Outbreak and the British Far-Right’s Next Move
Thursday, 21 May 2026
Are Xi and Putin playing Trump? How serious is the new Ebola outbreak, especially after Trump's and Britain's severe cuts to international aid? With Tommy Robinson explicitly telling his supporters to support Reform UK, the Conservative Party, and other right-wing parties ahead of 2029, is this a deliberate strategy to infiltrate mainstream politics and normalise far-right extremism? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ The National Survey: To have your say on the country you want to see, just head to...
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534. Is Wes Streeting Trying to Sabotage Andy Burnham?
Wednesday, 20 May 2026
By re-igniting the Brexit debate, is Wes Streeting deliberately trying to sabotage Andy Burnham's chances in a Leave-voting area, or is he forcing Labour to finally confront reality? Does Hungary's new leader Magyar offer a playbook for defeating Reform UK – by exposing Farage's wealth, mysterious funding sources, and corruption? Is Gary Stevenson correct to say the centre-left is relying on outdated tactics, while right-wing movements gain ground through social media fluency and opaque international funding networks? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. _...
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533. Andy Burnham's Big Gamble: Can He Beat Reform?
Friday, 15 May 2026
What is Alastair’s plea to Labour politicians, after this week’s turmoil? After Wes Streeting’s resignation from the cabinet, will he still run against the ‘King of the North’, Andy Burnham, and how bruising would a leadership contest be for the government? How risky is this for Burnham, and can he beat Reform in Greater Manchester? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this emergency episode. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend read...
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532. The Trump-Xi Showdown and Putin’s Conscription Con
Wednesday, 13 May 2026
As Trump becomes the first American president to visit China in nearly a decade, will the summit bring any positive developments, or will it further deepen global disorder? Will Trump sacrifice Taiwan's security to gain concessions from Xi on Iran? With Russia losing 30,000 troops per month and Putin resorting to deceiving African workers into combat, are his war efforts finally collapsing? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free n...
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531. Starmer on the Brink: What Next?
Tuesday, 12 May 2026
As Starmer’s cabinet begin turning against him, how long can he cling on to power? By challenging Starmer without a clear plan for what comes next, are Labour MPs unleashing a chaos they cannot control? As Wales and Scotland shift dramatically towards Plaid Cymru, the Scottish National Party, and Reform UK – are we witnessing the end of both Labour and the Conservatives as national parties? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive inte...
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Enraged or Engaged? Angela Rayner on The Gen Z Story
Tuesday, 12 May 2026
Former Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, joins Alastair Campbell and Vicky Spratt to discuss the Gen Z story as she sees it. Listen to hear her thoughts on the success of The Green Party, the allure of characters like Gary Stevenson and Zack Polanski, the hopelessness of young people, the danger of binary politics and short-term thinking, as well as her push for the government to reconnect with Gen Z and empower leaders of the future. She also listens and responds directly to some of your experiences sent to us via voice note. To hear episode one and two of the Gen Z Story, sign ...
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Divided or Dependent? The Real Gen Z Story
Saturday, 9 May 2026
Are the challenges faced by Gen Z unique or have we seen them before? Do workplaces need a Gen Z strategy, or is there something bigger at play? And, why does it feel like young people's attitudes are becoming more traditional? Vicky Spratt, investigates the question: How bad are things really for young people? This week she is joined by generations expert, Professor Bobby Duffy. To hear the whole episode, and the rest of the series sign up at therestispolitics.com STUDENT DISCOUNT: Sign up here with your student email address for a year of TRIP Plus for just £20 Instagram: @...
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530. Is Starmer the Next Joe Biden? Rory and Alastair React to Local Elections
Friday, 8 May 2026
Will Keir Starmer survive presiding over seismic Labour losses in the local elections, and if he doesn’t who should replace him? Do historic Reform and Green wins for Farage and Polanski confirm the death of two-party politics in the UK? Did the Ed Davey’s Lib Dems and Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives actually perform better than expected? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Our new university student discount: Get TRIP membership for just £20 per year when you sign up using your university email at checkout on therestispolitics.com Go deeper...
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529. Antisemitism, Polarisation, and How the King Outplayed Trump
Thursday, 7 May 2026
How is polarisation fuelling antisemitism, and how should religious and political leaders respond? What can politicians learn from the King’s speech to Congress about how to challenge Trump? Is Russia's security partnership model collapsing across Africa? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Our new student discount: get TRIP membership for just £20 per year when you sign up using your university email at checkout on therestispolitics.com. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up ...
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528. Trump vs. Germany and Farage’s £5m ‘Gift’
Wednesday, 6 May 2026
As Trump threatens to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, has European appeasement of Trump officially failed? Will historic local election losses for Labour trigger a change of Prime Minister? Why has Nigel Farage faced such little scrutiny on his £5 million ‘gift’ from a Thai-based crypto billionaire? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Our new student discount: get TRIP membership for just £20 per year when you sign up using your university email at checkout on therestispolitics.com. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by ...
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Lucky or Left Behind? The Gen Z Money Story
Thursday, 30 April 2026
Is Gen Z the most informed generation in history, or the most financially trapped? Is a university degree still worth it, or have we sent too many people to study the wrong things? Has Britain gone from a meritocracy to an inheritocracy, where the “Bank of Mum and Dad” are more essential than ever? Vicky Spratt, Housing and Society Correspondent, investigates the Gen Z story and how bad are things really for young people? This week she is joined by generational historial Dr Eliza Filby. STUDENT DISCOUNT FOR TRIP PLUS: £20 FOR THE YEAR : The Rest is Politics is offering an exclusive...
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527. Are American Tech Billionaires Threatening British Democracy?
Thursday, 30 April 2026
Given Palantir’s controversial manifesto – described by some as having “techno-fascist” tendencies – why is the UK Government expanding its work with the company? Why has the Foreign Office closed its international humanitarian law unit, and what does this say about the UK's commitment to international law? Is the government doing enough to address mental health issues, particularly among young people and Gen Z? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by sig...
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526. Trump's Orwellian Maths and the King's Special Relationship Mission
Tuesday, 28 April 2026
Is the so-called ‘special relationship’ between America and Britain already broken, and is it even worth saving? How can the UK and Europe achieve independence from the US on defence, tech and nuclear? Is Trump's comical mathematical illiteracy actually a serious threat to democracy? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free...
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525. JD Vance vs. the Pope and the Far-Right Funding Machine (Question Time)
Thursday, 23 April 2026
Why do Trump and JD Vance keep arguing with the Pope about theology? Who is funding the British and European far-right? As nationalism grows in Scotland and Wales, did devolution make this inevitable? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory a...
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524. Starmer’s Mandelson Mess and the Iranian Nuclear Threat
Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Did Starmer show a fatal lack of judgement and curiosity about Peter Mandelson’s suitability for public office? How and why did Trump destroy years of successful Iranian nuclear ‘containment’ policy? Four years into the Sudan war, what does the failure of peace efforts reveal about the unravelling of the world order? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest...
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523. The Starmer-Mandelson Scandal: Lying or Incompetence?
Friday, 17 April 2026
Can Starmer survive if it emerges he was previously told about Mandelson's failed vetting? Is he developing a pattern of blaming others when things go wrong? Will this lead Labour MPs to start questioning their leader ahead of crucial local elections? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com t...
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Beating Populism: How To Fight Back
Thursday, 16 April 2026
Are we living in a 1930s moment in history? How can leaders fight back against populism? And is Franklin D Roosevelt the answer? Join Alastair Campbell and Liam Byrne for part 2 of their discussion on why populism is winning and how to beat it. To hear the whole Populism series, sign up at therestispolitics.com Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: James Clayden Producer: India Dunkley Exec Producer: Tom Whiter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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522. Has Hungary Shown Britain How to Beat Farage? (Question Time)
Thursday, 16 April 2026
Is Trump's brand now toxic for the global far-right populist movement? Why are crypto billionaires pouring millions into Reform UK? Are we witnessing the death of two-party politics across not just England but Scotland and Wales, too? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of these questions and more. __________ If you’re Gen Z, take our survey here and if you’re 29 or over, use this link. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join T...
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521. Trump’s Naval Blockade: Is America Becoming a Rogue State?
Wednesday, 15 April 2026
As Trump unleashes yet more global economic turmoil with his aggressive Strait of Hormuz blockade, is he creating a state of ‘permanent emergency’ and reshaping the world order in ways nobody can predict? Why did JD Vance give up on negotiations with Iran after just 21 hours, and why is the 'ceasefire' already collapsing? What surprised Alastair most about his interview with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all these questions and more. If you’re Gen Z, take our survey here and if you’re 29 or over, use this link. ____...
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520. Orbán Ousted: Is The Tide Turning Against Far-Right Populism?
Monday, 13 April 2026
Does Hungary ousting its far-right prime minister prove rightwing populists and autocrats can be beaten around the world, from Trump and Farage to Netanyahu and Milei? Does JD Vance have the midas touch, after his desperate last-ditch efforts last week to get Orbán re-elected? What does Orbán’s departure mean for Putin, Ukraine, and European unity? Join Alastair as he reacts to the end of Viktor Orbán's sixteen-year reign over Hungary. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and w...
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519. Trump's NATO Threat & a Critical Election in Hungary (Question Time)
Wednesday, 8 April 2026
Following Trump's threats to remove the US from NATO, is the alliance effectively finished? After nearly two decades in power, could Viktor Orbán finally be unseated in Hungary's upcoming election? Has Keir Starmer learned the lessons from the Democrats' 2024 loss ahead of May's local elections? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Alastair Campbell as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Re...
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