201. How Westminster Breaks Politicians and Why Britain Isn’t Ready for War

  • Leading

  • 10 August 2026

  • Posted by Alastair Campbell

  • 0

Is Britain's military being left behind as drones and AI rewrite the rules of modern warfare? Is British politics broken beyond repair, and does Johnny Mercer's ruthless fight for veterans reveal what's really wrong with Westminster? Why did a man so obsessed with truth end up defending Boris Johnson? 

Alastair and Rory are joined by Johnny Mercer, former Conservative MP, Cabinet Minister, and Veterans Minister, to answer all these questions and more.

__________

Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store.

__________


Instagram: @restispolitics

Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

__________

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Senior Producer: Nicole Maslen

General Manager: Tom Whiter

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

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

499 campbell rose

Alastair Campbell’s diary: I met a hero of Gaza in a cinema queue

A new documentary lets Victoria Rose and other doctors describe the horrors they have witnessed... Continue

23 September 2026

573. Burnham and Carney vs. Trump, and the Diana Dispute

As Burnham meets Trump face-to-face for the first time at the UN General Assembly, will he adopt Mark Carney’s or Keir Starmer’s approach to dealing with the US President? With Carney receiving a ... Continue

23 September 2026

207. Gordon Brown: How to Fix a Fracturing World

What did Gordon Brown learn from leading the UK through the global financial crisis? Why do so many citizens today not belong to any civic or religious group, and how does that impact our politics? Ho... Continue

21 September 2026

The Greatest Threat Humans Just Can’t Stomach with Yuval Noah Harari

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 ... Continue

18 September 2026

572. Trump’s Next Middle East Crisis and Reform’s £72m Megadonation

Is the Houthi’s 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,... Continue

17 September 2026

498 campbell orr

Alastair Campbell’s diary: The right wing media hounded Jason Arday and ignored James Orr. It’s obvious why

When a real scandal comes along, some parts of the press just can’t bring themselves to acknowledge it... Continue

16 September 2026

571. Rory and Alastair Challenge Ed Miliband on Israel-Palestine

Why has Ed Miliband gone further than any previous foreign secretary in confirming the occupation of the Palestinian territories as illegal and placing sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Ban... Continue

15 September 2026

Cadogan x post image

Join Alastair Campbell and Mishal Husain live at Cadogan Hall

Persevilience: The word the world needs now is the title of Alastair Campbell’s new book. It is also the starting point for a conversation with... Continue

14 September 2026