The Rest Is Politics

19 Aug 2026

563. Britain’s Afghanistan Shame and the Jason Arday Tragedy

Five years after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover, why has not a single Western government marked the anniversary of a war that cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars? Why has Putin banned Russia's last liberal anti-war party ahead of next month's Duma elections, and is it a sign of his strength or his weakness? What does the media frenzy that engulfed Jason Arday before his death reveal about how quickly we strip vulnerable people of their humanity?

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

17 Aug 2026

202. Is Peace in the Middle East Closer Than We Think? (A Palestinian & An Israeli’s View)

How do an Israeli who lost his parents on October 7th and a Palestinian whose brother died after torture in Israeli prisons come together to reject revenge and build a brotherhood for peace? Why do they believe lasting peace between Israel and Palestine could be just "two to four weeks away"? What can Britain do to help end a conflict it helped create?

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

557. Can Burnham Really Deliver Britain’s Biggest Change in Forty Years?

Can Andy Burnham, in a single term or less, fix problems like social care that are generations in the making? Is his new push for vocational education a long-overdue fix for Britain's broken skills sy... Continue
Podcast

Alastair Campbell’s diary: The right wing case for climate crisis denial is going up in flames

Europe is burning, food insecurity is growing and Trump and Farage are still shouting about “Net Stupid Zero”... Continue
Article

199. Is Trump’s Chaos Pushing Iceland Towards the EU? (Prime Minister of Iceland, Kristrún Frostadóttir)

What are the real reasons Iceland has brought forward its vote on restarting accession talks with the EU? What lessons did the Prime Minister learn from watching Brexit unfold while living in the UK, ... Continue
Podcast

Britain’s Ticking Time Bomb: The Food Security Crisis

Could the UK be facing empty supermarket shelves by 2030? Are food distribution centres sitting ducks for drone warfare? And how has Britain got to a place where is has just 3 days to 3 weeks worth of... Continue
Podcast

556. The US-China AI Arms Race and Badenoch vs. Rory’s Centrism

Is China quietly outsmarting the US in the AI arms race, and is Trump laying the pitch to challenge the results of the US midterms with his repeated, unfounded claims of Chinese election meddling? Why... Continue
Podcast

Alastair Campbell’s diary: My night with the homeless showed me that Burnham must end rough sleeping

The new PM must be radical – including on Britain’s place in Europe... Continue
Article

555. Burnham’s Cabinet Purge and Rough Sleeping Pledge: Will He Succeed?

What does Andy Burnham’s purge of Starmer loyalists from the top of government tell us about how the new British prime minister will govern the UK? Why did Ed Miliband drop his ten-year Energy Secur... Continue
Podcast

198. How Trump’s Imperial Presidency Really Works

How does the most chaotic White House in history actually make decisions? How did Netanyahu sell Trump on a regime change war in Iran? Who is the only world leader Trump is truly afraid of?  Alastair... Continue
Podcast