The Rest Is Politics

1 Oct 2026

576. How Xi is Outplaying Trump and Tensions in Northern Ireland

As Trump becomes the first American president to personally welcome a visiting head of state off a plane since JFK greeted Harold Macmillan in 1962, did his summit with President Xi signal improving US-China relations, or does Xi have his counterpart in an economic chokehold? With the standoff between protesters and members of the pro-British Protestant Orange Order in Northern Ireland showing no sign of resolution, is the region's fragile peace in danger of unravelling? And as violence erupts in Ethiopia, is Africa's second most populous country on the brink of civil war – and does it risk dragging other regional actors into a wider conflict spanning the Horn of Africa and the Gulf?

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.

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Leading

28 Sep 2026

208. Mustafa Suleyman: Is AI Actually Conscious?

Can Artificial Intelligence stay subordinate? Is Anthropic’s 100-Page constitution creating dangerous AI autonomy? Should AI models be granted legal personhood, rights, or financial compensation?

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.

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Latest

171. Neil Kinnock: A Labour Rebel’s Path To Power (Part 1)

Whilst an early career MP, why did Neil Kinnock rebel against the Labour Party so regularly? As Labour leader, how did Kinnock take on militant and the ‘ultra-left’ within the Labour Party? What r... Continue
Leading

Will AI End Humanity?

If there is even a 1% chance that AI could destroy us, should we keep building it? Are we creating machines that will one day outthink humanity? And is the race to dominate AI accelerating us toward a... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

489. Musk’s AI Deepfake Disgrace & JD Vance’s Minnesota Lies (Question Time)

Will the UK ban 'X' over explicit, nonconsensual deepfake images of women and children generated using its AI tool? What does JD Vance's outburst against the Minnesota ICE shooting victim tell us abou... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

Alastair Campbell’s diary: It’s time for a European army

Keir Starmer wants Britain to get closer to the EU. The war in Ukraine and Trump’s military posturing put European security at the heart of that realignment... Continue
The New European

488. Is Iran on the Edge of Revolution?

Could the Iran protests finally break the Supreme Leader’s brutal reign, or will the regime's deadly crackdown contain the unrest? If the US intervenes militarily, what would a Trump-style plan for ... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

170. President of Moldova, Maia Sandu: Holding the Line Between Democracy and Putin

How did Maia Sandu fight Russian disinformation in Moldova? What is it like to have a war in the country next door? Will the European Union accept Moldova with Russian troops in the country?  Rory a... Continue
Leading

China Vs USA: Who Will Win the AI Race?

Who really controls AI; governments, corporations, or no one at all? Is AI becoming a new kind of global arms race? And, can we keep humans in charge of systems that move faster than we do? Rory and ... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

487. Is Starmer Rethinking His Approach to Europe? (Question Time)

What do Keir Starmer’s comments on 'closer alignment' with the EU single market actually mean? After the Bondi terror attack, how can a centrist government respond to national trauma without fuellin... Continue
The Rest Is Politics