The Rest Is Politics

18 Sep 2025

450. Question Time: How Gen Z Took Down the Government

**Trigger Warning: this episode contains discussion of murder-suicide, rape and sexual violence**

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

15 Sep 2025

153. The Man Who Invented The Internet (Tim Berners-Lee)

Tim Berners-Lee could be one of the richest men on the planet, why did he forfeit such large profits to make the world wide web a free and open space? How do we reclaim the internet from social media companies taking away our sovereignty? Have tech giants like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk thanked Tim for his invention? 

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

144. Gary Stevenson: From Teenage Drug Dealer to Millionaire Trader (Part 1)

How did Gary Stevenson go from being expelled for drug dealing, to one of the most successful traders in London? How does class and privilege play into the world of finance in the UK? What... Continue

How Trump Ditched Ideology

Does Trump already see himself as America’s king? Have he and Vance swapped ideology for a medieval approach to politics? Will reality finally catch up with the MAGA coalition? Join Rory a... Continue

The Real JD Vance: How Trump Ditched Ideology (Part 5)

Does Trump already see himself as America’s king? Have he and Vance swapped ideology for a medieval approach to politics? Will reality finally catch up with the MAGA coalition? Join Rory a... Continue

429. Question Time: Gaza, Genocide, and Global Hypocrisy

Has the West lost its moral voice on Gaza? Can Britain and France rebuild trust on migration after Brexit? And, where are today’s Bob Geldofs — and why won’t they speak up? Join Rory a... Continue

428. Rory vs. Alastair: Are we spending too much on defence?

Is Starmer falling into Trump's defence spending trap? What's the bigger threat to the European democracies: Putin or populism? Why has a Labour-affiliated union suspended Angela Rayner, a tr... Continue

Alastair Campbell’s diary: Yes, it’s a genocide

Fence sitting is no longer possible, or right. The manner and scale of Israel’s demolition of Gaza goes way beyond either legal proportion or respect for civilian life... Continue

143. Iraq, Trump, and America’s Slide to Authoritarianism (Congressman Seth Moulton)

How did Congressman Moulton keep fighting the Iraq war when he thought it was a mistake? Is there anyone who can stop Trump, or is he an absolute monarch? Have substandard politicians used mi... Continue

427. The Real JD Vance: Heir to the MAGA Throne (Part 4)

Is JD Vance Trump's most dangerous heir? Would a JD Vance presidency be even more dangerous than Trump 2.0? How historically unusual is it for a Vice President to be so prominent in an admini... Continue