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.

42. Sayeeda Warsi: Britain and the Muslim World

How prevalent is islamophobia in the UK? How can we help Jewish and Muslim communities at this time? Why have the Oslo Accords failed?Rory and Alastair are joined by the first Muslim woman Ch... Continue

27 October 2023

41. Reid Hoffman: Bankrolling Biden to beat Trump, the “PayPal Mafia”, and Musk’s messiah complex

How does life in Silicon Valley compare to the United Kingdom? What was it like working with Elon Musk and Peter Thiel starting PayPal? Is the future of AI as bleak as it seems?Rory and Alast... Continue

23 October 2023

40. Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain

70% of British land is agricultural - yet we don't speak about farming much. What is the politics of the UK's farming industry? How has Brexit affected British produce and trade? And what is ... Continue

16 October 2023

39. Theresa May: Donald Trump, David Cameron, and ‘Brexit means Brexit’ (Part 2)

Why did Theresa May prefer Gordon Brown to Tony Blair as a Prime Minister? Does the former PM have any regrets over Brexit? How did things unfold behind the scenes after the Salisbury pois... Continue

9 October 2023

38. Theresa May: Windrush, police, and the cult of personality (Part 1)

What is Theresa May’s biggest regret from her time as Home Secretary? Why was the Hillsborough disaster such an abuse of power? What’s it like to stay on as an MP after occupying the hi... Continue

2 October 2023

37. Chris Hipkins, New Zealand PM: Working with Xi Jinping, fighting to stay in power, and zero covid’s double-edged sword

What is it like going from cabinet minister to Prime Minister? Are politicians in New Zealand more courteous than politicians in the UK? Why was New Zealand's Covid-19 response so effective?F... Continue

25 September 2023

36. Andy Burnham and Andy Street: A Tale of Two Cities

What is it like to run a metropolitan area? How does devolution impact the citizens of regional areas? Does party affiliation affect the decisions a mayor makes?Andy Burnham, Labour Mayor of ... Continue

18 September 2023

35. Cathy Ashton: Dealing with Putin and Lavrov, Kosovo–Serbia, and ‘radical humility’

How do we retain empathy when negotiating with a stranger who has a radically different worldview to our own?As the former High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Cathy Ashton... Continue

11 September 2023

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.