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

354. Nigel Farage, dad-dancing populists, and the worst politician of the year

Who was the worst politician of the year? What was the biggest political moment of 2024? What was the most under-discussed moment of the year? Join Rory and Alastair as they discuss all this... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

113. How likely is World War 3? (Ian Bremmer)

What does Musk’s de-facto role as ‘co president’ say about the impact of Big Tech on the disintegration of the international order? How can we approach solving some of the world's bigge... Continue
Leading

353. Question Time: Celeb politicians, Chinese spies, and Ireland vs. Israel

Why is Israel shutting its embassy in Ireland? Who is the alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew? Will the UK ever have a Donald Trump-style leader? Rory and Alastair answer all these q... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

352. How to solve the small boats crisis

Will Labour be able to deliver on their promises on immigration? What is the thinking behind some of Trump's cabinet picks? Could German politics swing to the right?Join Rory and Alastair as ... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

Alastair Campbell’s winners and losers of 2024

In many cases over the last 12 months, the people who looked like winners also turned out to be losers... Continue
The New European

112. Bill Clinton: Putin, Palestine, and Trump

Does Bill Clinton feel that the current Israel-Hamas war could have been avoided if former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat had accepted the peace deal in 2001? Does he regret allowing Ch... Continue
Leading

351. Question Time: Geopolitics in Crisis

Why did the president of South Korea announce martial law this week? What does the result of the Romanian elections spell for Europe? How can Georgia resolve the protests happening there?Rory... Continue
The Rest Is Politics

Alastair Campbell’s diary: What Farage told me about Musk, Trump & the Tories

It underlined that he views politics mainly through the lens of personality and rarely bothers with policy... Continue
The New European