23: John Major: From Brixton to Downing Street (Part 1)

  • Leading

  • 19 June 2023

  • Posted by Alastair Campbell

  • 0

Why is Sir John Major a Tory? How did he make it from Brixton to 10 Downing Street? What was it like to witness the fall of Margaret Thatcher first hand?


In the first of two episodes, Rory and Alastair are joined by the former prime minister to answer all these questions and more.


John Major - Episode 2:

If you'd like to hear episode two right now, sign up to The Rest is Politics Plus at therestispolitics.com for £3.49. You'll also enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes.


Instagram:

@restispolitics


Twitter:

@RestIsPolitics


Email:

restispolitics@gmail.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Addiction, Breakdown and Finding Persevilience: Rory Interviews Alastair

How has Alastair managed to come back from some of the darkest places in his life, overcoming a breakdown while in the public eye? Is his obsession with work unhealthy, or necessary to achieving great... Continue

16 October 2026

580. How to Solve Britain’s Youth Unemployment Crisis

In Britain, we spend £25 on benefits for every £1 we spend helping young people find work. So why have successive governments failed to fix this – and what does Alan Milburn’s review, due this a... Continue

15 October 2026

502 campbel conway scaled

Alastair Campbell’s diary: My truly deranged encounter with Trump apologist Kellyanne Conway

The godmother of ‘alternative facts’ assured me the president loved Zelensky – just as he was stabbing him in the back with Putin... Continue

14 October 2026

579. Trump’s Public Execution Order and Burnham’s Brexit Intervention

How does Marco Rubio’s Parthenon speech fit the Trump administration’s ideas on European “civilisational erasure” – and how does it depart from traditional Republican rhetoric? With Pete Heg... Continue

14 October 2026

210. Andy Burnham: My Relationship With Starmer, Brexit Lies and Emotion in Politics

How will he change Britain’s relationship with the EU? Why has he agreed to publish details of meetings following the Manchester City scandal? With the Trump administration planning to livestream a ... Continue

12 October 2026

Alastair Campbell and Mishal Husain with the book Persevilience, The New World

Oct

22

2026

Alastair Campbell and Mishal Husain live at Cadogan Hall

He’s invented a word. He says it’s the word the world needs now. She’s going to make him explain why. Alastair joins acclaimed broadcaster Mishal Husain on stage to discuss his new book, Per... Continue

578. Alastair and Michael Gove Disagree Agreeably on Brexit and Israel

Will there be another EU referendum, despite Andy Burnham promising not to re-run old Brexit arguments? Will Michael Gove ever criticise Israel's actions in Palestine, and if not, why not? What do the... Continue

8 October 2026

577. Is Badenoch Finally Stopping Farage and Why Are French Schools on Fire?

With Reform bogged down in scandal, and Kemi Badenoch setting out her political vision at Conservative Party conference, have the Tories finally wrestled momentum on the right of British politics away... Continue

7 October 2026