8 May 2026
530. Is Starmer the Next Joe Biden? Rory and Alastair React to Local ElectionsWill Keir Starmer survive presiding over seismic Labour losses in the local elections, and if he doesn’t who should replace him? Do historic Reform and Green wins for Farage and Polanski confirm the death of two-party politics in the UK? Did the Ed Davey’s Lib Dems and Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives actually perform better than expected?
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.
4 May 2026
187. Yanis Varoufakis: How The 2008 Crisis Revived Far-Right PopulismWas the 2008 financial crisis as consequential as the 1929 Wall Street Crash? How did it pave the way for Trump, Brexit, and the rise of the far-right across Europe? Will the economic damage caused by Trump’s war with Iran outlast the conflict 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.
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... Continue
515. Starmer’s Foreign Aid Betrayal, Islamophobia & Australia’s Far Right (Question Time)
Are the UK government’s aid cuts more extreme than those made under austerity and Trump? What can Britain learn from South Australia's landslide against the far-right? Have the Tories & Reform a... Continue
514. Who Is Profiting from Trump’s Iran Catastrophe?
Are Russia, Israel, and Iran itself the real winners from Trump and Netanyahu’s war? Is Starmer right to resist more British involvement in the war? Will the Gulf states realign with Europe and ‘m... Continue
Alastair Campbell’s diary: My late friend’s final message: Never work for the Daily Mail
After saying goodbye to old mates, I’ve got a new philosophy: Stay young, no matter how old you are... Continue
181. Ai Weiwei: China, Censorship, and Dissidence Through Art
Why was Ai Weiwei kidnapped and held prisoner by the Chinese government? How did the 2008 Sichuan earthquake radicalise him into taking aim at the authorities through art? What’s behind Ai Weiwei’... Continue
513. Inside Iran: The Country Trump Cannot Control? (Question Time)
Why are the US and the West as a whole so bad at understanding the cultures of other countries, including Iran, and what do they miss as a result? How will the Iran war unfold over the next six months... Continue
512. Trump’s Iran Disaster and the GB News Propaganda Machine
Is Russia the biggest winner from Trump’s war with Iran? Is GB News little more than a propaganda machine for Reform UK? How toxic is England's water and why does it have the only fully privatised w... Continue
180. The Only European Leader Defying Trump? (Pedro Sánchez)
Why is Prime Minister Sánchez such an outlier in challenging Trump on everything from military spending to Gaza? What’s behind Spain’s recent economic success? How is Spain tackling the rising fa... Continue