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.

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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.

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Latest

384. Labour’s War on Welfare, Trump’s Tariff Secret, and Britain’s Fight for Farming

What sort of deal-maker is Trump? Are Labour Serious About Social Justice? And, can MPs afford to lose the farmers vote?Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of these questions and more.Â... Continue
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125. Peter Kyle: AI, grief, and the power of Elon Musk

5 consecutive UK Prime Ministers have declared that the UK will become an AI Superpower, why is Keir Starmer any different? Why does no one have ‘big ideas’ anymore? And, how did Peter Ky... Continue
Leading

383. Question Time: Farage vs. Reform, is Labour still socialist, and how to ‘out-Trump’ Trump

What’s going on inside Reform UK? Should Europe expel Hungary from the EU? Is there anything socialist left about Labour?Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of this and more.The Rest ... Continue
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Alastair Campbell’s Diary: Our media obsession with Trump is playing into China’s hands

China may soon become the most powerful country on earth – but the UK media has taken its eye off the ball thanks to the circus in America... Continue
The New European

382. Revenge on the West: Putin and Xi’s Plan For Trump

Why does the West obsess over Trump but ignore China’s long game? How are Xi and Putin playing America’s chaos for their own ends? Is the Al-Sharaa social media firestorm a warning for We... Continue
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124. The Man Who Got To Trump (Michael Wolff)

How did Michael Wolff manage to penetrate and expose Trump’s inner circle multiple times? Will the Murdoch empire survive the death of its Patriarch? Who’s really in charge in the White H... Continue
Leading

381. Question Time: Starmer’s Dilemma

Is Labour so focused on the red wall and Reform that they risk losing people at the other end of the spectrum? What has happened with the documentary, ‘Gaza: How to Survive a War'? And coul... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

380. JD Vance vs. the UK

How much damage has JD Vance done to US-UK relations? If not the UK, which country was he referring to as "some random country"? How can we stop playing Trump’s game?Join Rory and Alastair ... Continue
The Rest Is Politics