The Rest Is Politics

10 Sep 2025

447. Is Starmer Sleepwalking Britain into Farage’s Hands?

Has Starmer’s reshuffle shifted Labour to the right, and frozen out the left? Will Farage ultimately lose control of Reform UK? Why has the French government collapsed again?

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

8 Sep 2025

152. “A War on Children”: A Generation in Gaza at Risk (James Elder)

Why is the humanitarian situation in Gaza the worst that James Elder has ever seen? What does the process of rebuilding Gaza look like? How do the people working on the ground not lose hope? 

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

108. Mhairi Black: Independence, inequality, and the future of the SNP

What was it like entering Parliament as the youngest MP? How has the SNP’s approach to campaigning for Scottish independence changed since the 2014 referendum? What does the future hold for... Continue

340. Question Time: Assisted Dying, Texting Macron, and the Politics of Scandal

Are Alastair and Rory starry-eyed about Australian politics? What have Alastair and Macron been texting about? And, what does the world look like without America at the centre of it? Join R... Continue

339. Trump, the Middle East, and Ukraine

How will the president elect deal with the Israel-Gaza conflict? Does the US election result spell doom for Zelensky? What’s going on in Germany?Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all th... Continue

Alastair Campbell’s diary: Our shameful media, trolling for Trump

The British press featured some bizarre coverage of the US election this week, even by its own standards... Continue

107. General David Petraeus: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the US military’s role in the world

Was the surge in Iraq a success for the United States? How critical are alliances to maintaining global stability? How can leaders maintain resilience and integrity in the face of public scru... Continue

Why we should be upgrading not downgrading language teaching in schools across the UK

So yesterday was a big day for me … my first speech in German since my Goethe Institute courses in lockdown to brush up a language I had slowly lost since student days. It was last night, at the Ge... Continue

338. Trump beyond America: what’s next?

Who will Trump appoint to his cabinet? Did wishful thinking cloud the election? And, what do the next four years look like for Taiwan, Ukraine and the Middle East? Join Rory and Alastair as... Continue

337. Trump Returns: What Now?

Did Trump win it or did the Democrats blow it? What are the implications of a second Trump presidency for America and the rest of the world? Has rightwing populism delivered a fatal blow to l... Continue