Leading

Every Monday, Rory and Alastair interrogate, converse with, and interview some of the world’s biggest names – from both inside and outside of politics – about life, leadership, or leading the way in their chosen field.

61. James Rubin: Working for Biden, American intervention, and the fight against Russian disinformation

“You took me to one side and said be very, very careful of these people, these neo-cons. Because they’re going to use this to do all sorts of stuff that you shouldn’t be involved in.”... Continue

26 February 2024

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60. Anthony Scaramucci: What it’s like to be Donald Trump’s Communications Director

Would a second Trump presidency be far more right wing? What drives the former US president? Is he trying to do a deal with Taylor Swift?In this week's episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair a... Continue

19 February 2024

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59. Robert Sapolsky: The psychology behind Donald Trump, the science of stress, and the illusion of ‘free will’

Why do we get stressed? What are the psychological differences between conservatives and liberals? Is free will a myth?Rory and Alastair are joined by scientist Dr Robert Sapolsky to answer a... Continue

12 February 2024

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58. Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon, independence, and his family’s escape from Gaza

What is the future of the independence debate in Scotland? How was it to work with Nicola Sturgeon? Have world leaders done enough to curb civilian deaths in Gaza?On today's episode of Leadin... Continue

5 February 2024

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57. Tucker Eskew, spin doctor to George W. Bush and Sarah Palin: Why I’m voting Democrat

What does President Biden need to do to defeat Trump? What went wrong in Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign? Did Republican figures like Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich pave the way for Tr... Continue

29 January 2024

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56. Bill Gates: Conspiracy theories, AI, and the politician he most admires

How does one of the richest men in the world run a business? Is artificial intelligence going to be as big as the Windows PC? What politicians does Bill Gates admire? Bill Gates joins Rory an... Continue

22 January 2024

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55. Gillian Keegan: The future of British schools, union ‘barons’, and Sunak’s Rwanda battle

What's it like to be the Secretary of State for Education who left school at 17? How much power do unions really have in British politics? What's it like to become a Tory MP when your family ... Continue

15 January 2024

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54. Guy Verhofstadt: Is there a case for a European army?

What's it like to run Belgium for a decade? How many people in the EU actually believe in 'ever-closer union'? What are the pros and cons of being a career politician?On today's episode of Le... Continue

8 January 2024

Alastair Campbell is a writer, communicator and strategist best known for his role as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and strategy. Still active in politics and campaigns in Britain and overseas, he now splits his time between writing, speaking, broadcasting, charities and consultancy.