The Rest Is Politics

10 Sep 2026

570. Why Trump Acts Like a Russian Asset and Miliband’s West Bank Sanctions

After Trump’s latest betrayal of Ukraine, why does he act like a Russian asset? Has John Healy already missed his moment to be a radical Chancellor, and does Ed Miliband’s move to impose economic sanctions on Israeli settlements prove he would have been the bolder choice? Is the President of Serbia a fascist?

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

7 Sep 2026

205. Anthony Scaramucci: Why America Keeps Making the Same Mistakes

Why does Anthony Scaramucci think Osama bin Laden is “winning”, and what has the War on Terror really cost America? From letting China into the WTO to bailing out the banks in 2008, how did America's own leaders pave the way for Donald Trump's electoral victories? As Trump's second term reaches its halfway point, is America about to bankrupt itself?

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

Alastair Campbell’s diary: The country desperate for EU membership

Unfortunately for Edi Rama, Albania’s prime minister, the country's place in the EU will be secured not by optics, but by its democratic credentials and right now, those are being tested... Continue

408. Broken Britain: Farage’s Plot to Outflank Labour

Is Reform UK’s growing appeal a product of Farage’s populism, or Labour’s failure to articulate a gripping national story? What’s behind Trump’s South African ‘white genocide’ c... Continue

135. Ed Miliband: Blair, Brown, and Battling his Brother (Part 1)

How did Ed Miliband’s childhood being raised by survivors of the Holocaust shape his politics? How did his role mediating between Blair and Brown earn Ed the moniker ‘Emissary from planet... Continue

407. Question Time: The U-turn Starmer Can’t Avoid

Just how extreme will Merz’s immigration curb get? Can the Labour Party still identify as centre-right? And should the men guilty of felling the Sycamore tree be sent to prison?  Join Ror... Continue

Alastair Campbell’s diary: Labour must reverse the winter fuel allowance cuts

Of all the things that the Labour government has done, this is the one that has done the most political damage... Continue

406. Biden, Springsteen, and Trump: Dancing in the Dark

What does Trump’s outburst against Bruce Springsteen and Joe Biden tell us about his psychology? Why has he lifted sanctions on al-Sharaa’s Syria, and why now? Has Portugal finally lost i... Continue

405. Starmer’s EU Deal: A New Era

Is Starmer's UK-EU deal a “win-win” reset of relations or a betrayal of Brexit red lines? Will this deal actually lower food and energy costs or boost growth? What does twelve years of Eu... Continue

Alastair Campbell’s diary: This UK-EU reset must be just the start

We will only properly fix the mess leaving the bloc created if we admit the scale of it... Continue