30 Mar 2026
Nineteen Eighty-Four: Big Brother, Surveillance, and Fear (The Book Club)Why is 1984 as relevant today as when it was published? Who is Big Brother, and why is he so powerful? What was George Orwell's intention when creating the world of 1984, and what does it tell us about politics today?
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.
30 Mar 2026
182. Culture Wars, Identity, and What Needs To Change In Congress (Sarah McBride)How are rights for trans people in the US improving or worsening under the Republican administration? What fundamentally needs to change in Congress to improve the state of politics? Are the Democrats doing enough to win back the American public?
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.
Alastair Campbell’s diary: Why Mark Carney is one of the luckiest politicians alive
It could well be that just days apart Burnley get promoted back to the Premier League and Carney, the first Canadian prime minister ever to have visited Turf Moor, wins the election... Continue
396. Question Time: It’s over for Kemi Badenoch
Why is politics still so elitist? What story is Kemi Badenoch trying to sell? And, how can Dutton escape Trump comparisons? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of these questions and mo... Continue
395. Trump, Xi, and how China outsmarted America
Does Trump want to turn America into China? How come politicians - including those on the right - want to nationalise steel in the UK? Are we witnessing a seismic change in German politics?Th... Continue
394. How We Trolled the Trolls: Putin, Trump, and Musk (with Anthony Scaramucci)
Has Elon Musk paid for fans to defend him on social media? What percentage of Twitter responses to Rory Stewart, Alastair Campbell, and Anthony Scaramucci are fake bots? How can information o... Continue
129. Trump’s America: Fear, Polarisation, and The Future (Ezra Klein)
How does a society defined by liberty and revolution become so easy to censor? Is polarisation something that has been done to us as an active political strategy or did we do this to ourselve... Continue
393. Question Time: America’s last ally, Japan in crisis, and Netanyahu on the brink?
Why were two Labour MPs denied entry to Israel? What led to the impeachment of South Korea’s president? Is there a decline in blue-collar MPs?Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all of th... Continue
Alastair Campbell’s diary: Vive la France, à bas JD Vance!
If Trump and his vice-president have a genius for anything, it’s global media dominance... Continue
392. Trump’s Rampage: The Fight Against Global Crisis
What’s really behind Trump’s tariff madness? Are we watching the US slide into authoritarianism in real time? How should Europe and the world fight back?Join Rory and Alastair as they ans... Continue