173. The man Putin can’t silence: Bill Browder and sanctioning Russia

  • Podcast

  • 2 February 2026

  • Posted by Alastair Campbell

  • 0

How did the “biggest capitalist in Eastern Europe” become the primary target of the Russian state? Why was Bill Browder’s friend Sergei Magnitsky killed in Russian prison? Why did Putin really start the war in Ukraine? 


Rory and Alastair are joined by Bill Browder to answer all this and more. 


Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, an exclusive members’ newsletter, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord.


Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Producer: Alice Horrell

Senior Producer: Nicole Maslen

Head of Politics: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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

192. Are We On The Brink Of World War III? (Odd Arne Westad)

How similar is today's world to the months before the outbreak of World War I? Could Taiwan, India-China tensions, or an unforeseen crisis be the spark that sets the world ablaze? Are our leaders too ... Continue

8 June 2026

539. Embezzlement, the Mandelson Texts, and Hasan Piker’s UK Ban

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... Continue

4 June 2026

538. The Pope’s AI Warning and Alastair Reacts to Blair’s Attack

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 Bl... Continue

3 June 2026

Alastair Campbell’s diary: My airport row with a Trump supporter

It started badly – and when he said the UK was unreliable, I lost it... Continue

3 June 2026

191. Is It Already Too Late to Control AI? (Anthropic Co-Founder, Jack Clark)

Why is one of AI's most powerful insiders scared of what he's building? Who's really in charge of the technology reshaping our world? Is it too late for governments to regulate it? Rory and Matt Clif... Continue

1 June 2026

Who Funds Reform? The Missing Millions

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 r... Continue

29 May 2026

537. Indicting Trump, Israeli Prisons, and Rory vs. Ed Miliband

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 w... Continue

28 May 2026

536. Is Trump’s Corruption Machine Reaching New Extremes?

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 o... Continue

27 May 2026