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.

View all episodes

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.

View all episodes

Latest

151. Prime Minister of Norway: On Trump, Tech, and Brexit Lessons (Jonas Gahr Støre)

Why is the nation with the world’s richest sovereign wealth fund not ‘universally happy’? What can the UK learn from Norway’s relationship with the EU? Is Jonas Gahr Støre really sta... Continue
Leading

442. Question Time: Trump’s Plot To Cancel The Midterms

Is Trump edging the U.S. toward military rule? Can Gaza survive famine amid total collapse? Will Ukraine resist Putin if Western backing falters? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all th... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

441. The Reality of Farage’s Mass Deportation Fantasy

Is Farage imitating Trump with his desire to deport 600,000 migrants from the UK? How is the media whipping up a toxic debate on immigration? Why is Labour still trying to ape Reform, rather ... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

Alastair Campbell’s diary: Does Trump deserve the Nobel?

His desperation to follow in Barack Obama’s footsteps deepens day by day, unsolved war by unsolved war... Continue
The New European

150. Nicola Sturgeon: What Really Happened In The Scottish Referendum (Part 2)

How did the media and Westminster impact the Scottish Referendum? Why are spin rooms "utterly pointless" in Nicola's view? Is misogyny in politics as bad as it used to be, or getting worse du... Continue
Leading

440. Question Time: How To Start A Centrist Party

Why do the Lib Dems still fly under the radar? Is Trump quietly setting the stage for an authoritarian takeover? And, why does Alastair swear so much? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer a... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

439. The Pro-Putin President: Are Zelensky and Europe sleepwalking into disaster?

Is appeasing Trump and Putin a recipe for disaster in Europe , or simply a pragmatic approach? Why was JD Vance so silent in Zelensky's second White House visit? With mass protests on the str... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

149. Nicola Sturgeon: On Margaret Thatcher, Alex Salmond, and the Push for Independence (Part 1)

What is the difference between class distinctions in Scotland and the rest of the UK? How did Nicola Sturgeon's childhood in Scotland inform her politics? What was Margaret Thatcher's influen... Continue
Leading