The Rest Is Politics

7 Aug 2025

435. Question Time: The Migrant Return Plan, Colombia’s Drug Cartels, and Will Rory Join Corbyn’s New Party?

Can Starmer’s deal with Macron really fix the Channel crisis? Is Colombia’s fragile peace falling apart amid a booming drug trade? And, could AI replace mental health support lines? 

Two men who’ve been at the heart of the political world – former Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy Alastair Campbell and cabinet minister Rory Stewart – join forces from across the political divide.

Leading

4 Aug 2025

146. The Rise and Fall of The Conservative Party: Jeremy Hunt (Part 1)

How did Jeremy Hunt lose the Conservative leadership race to Boris Johnson? What does the longest serving Health Minister think will fix the NHS? What does Jeremy Hunt really think of Kemi Badenoch’s leadership? 

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.

Latest

132. Former Head of MI6: Russia, China, and Trump (Sir Alex Younger)

What is the real job of a spy? What is the role of the UK’s intelligence community in Trump’s new world order? How does the relationship between politicians and intelligence services work... Continue

Question Time: Has the US underestimated China?

What can be learnt from Poland’s fight against the far-right? Is it time for water to be nationalised? And, how has TRIP changed Alastair and Rory’s politics? Join Rory and Alastair as th... Continue

399. Question Time: Has the US underestimated China?

What can be learnt from Poland’s fight against the far-right? Is it time for water to be nationalised? And, how has TRIP changed Alastair and Rory’s politics? Join Rory and Alastair as th... Continue

400. Question Time: Has the US underestimated China?

What can be learnt from Poland’s fight against the far-right? Is it time for water to be nationalised? And, how has TRIP changed Alastair and Rory’s politics? Join Rory and Alastair as th... Continue

399. Trump vs. Putin, How to Stop Farage, and Kashmir Explained

After 100 days of Trump 2.0, is he finally warming to Zelensky after their dramatic Vatican meeting? Is Reform UK’s rise really unstoppable? What’s next for India and Pakistan as the figh... Continue

Alastair Campbell’s diary: The great Trump meltdown

Is it too much to hope that, eventually, Trump’s constant lying and backtracking will be enough to bring down his administration?... Continue

131. The Global Health Crisis: USAID cuts, Trump, and the limits of AI (Atul Gawande)

How many people are going to die as a result of American support for USAID programs being removed? What are the limits of thinking of AI as the silver bullet for healthcare? How do we bring t... Continue

398. Question Time: Trump’s Plan to Overhaul US Diplomacy

Will Harvard win its fight with Trump? What caused Zelensky’s approval ratings to hit an all-time high? Which right-wing politician would Alastair swap places with? Join Alastair and Rory a... Continue