The Rest Is Politics

7 Aug 2025

435. Question Time: The Migrant Return Plan, Colombia’s Drug Cartels, and Will Rory Join Corbyn’s New Party?

Can Starmer’s deal with Macron really fix the Channel crisis? Is Colombia’s fragile peace falling apart amid a booming drug trade? And, could AI replace mental health support lines? 

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

4 Aug 2025

146. The Rise and Fall of The Conservative Party: Jeremy Hunt (Part 1)

How did Jeremy Hunt lose the Conservative leadership race to Boris Johnson? What does the longest serving Health Minister think will fix the NHS? What does Jeremy Hunt really think of Kemi Badenoch’s leadership? 

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: Donald Trump’s birthday parade is not America

The world saw through the spectacle for what it was: the whim of a self-styled strongman in need of flattery and adoration... Continue

415. Iran, Israel, and Trump: War in the Middle East

Are we heading for all-out war between the US, Netanyahu and the Iranian regime? Is the West betraying international law in its support of Israel's pre-emptive strikes on Iran? Why did Starme... Continue

139. Speaker Kevin McCarthy: In Defence of Donald J. Trump

What is the logic behind Trump’s “chaotic” political strategy? Are Europe and America heading for a divorce? What did it feel like to get ousted as the Speaker of the House on a global... Continue

414. Israel vs. Iran: What Happens Next

Why has Benjamin Netanyahu's government launched an attack on the Iranian military? Is this the start of a new, larger war in the Middle East? What is Donald Trump's America's role in the con... Continue

413. Question Time: Reform, Russian Cyber Gangs, and Battling BBC Bias

Why does the BBC give Reform so much air time? Should there be a global refugee coalition? And, should we be surprised that AI might gaslight us? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all th... Continue

413. Question Time: How to solve Britain’s immigration question

Why does the BBC give Reform so much air time? Should there be a global refugee coalition? And, should we be surprised that AI might gaslight us? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all th... Continue

412. Is Trump Starting a Civil War? | LA Protests

Are the LA protests the perfect gift for Trump, and does pushing back just add fuel to his fire? What does Musk’s exit mean for the MAGA coalition? Why has Starmer u-turned on winter fuel p... Continue

Alastair Campbell’s diary: Have the Channel Islands got it right?

After a few days in Guernsey, the Islands’ message was clear: ‘Our system works better than yours’... Continue