The Rest Is Politics

25 Jan 2026

What If the AI Revolution Isn’t Real?

Is AI a revolution, or just another slow-moving general technology? Are we mistaking hype for inevitability? And, can a technology this unreliable really reshape civilisation?

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

26 Jan 2026

172. Neil Kinnock: Trump, Thatcher, and Why Labour Lost In 1992 (Part 2)

Why did Neil Kinnock believe the fight against Margaret Thatcher was an existential one? What would Kinnock do to tackle the threat posed to Labour by reform? Why did Labour lose the 1992 election?

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

10: Rahima Mahmut: The Uyghur Genocide

How much do you know about what's happening to the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China?Alastair is joined by Rahima Mahmut, an Uyghur artist, activist, and the chair of 'Stop Uyghur Genocide' to explo... Continue

112. Iraq: The Legacy

It's 20 years since the invasion of Iraq - but what is its legacy?Tony Blair said to Parliament in March 2003 that what happened in Iraq would ‘determine the pattern of international politi... Continue

111. The Iraq War

20 years on from the invasion of Iraq, Rory speaks to Alastair about the build up, aftermath, and legacy of the event.The second episode in this series, 'Iraq: The Legacy', will be released t... Continue

9: Bernie Sanders: A fight for equality

Longest serving independent Senator of the United States Bernie Sanders has spent his life fighting for the rights of working people. Today, he joins Rory and Alastair to discuss income inequ... Continue

110. Gary Lineker, BBC in crisis, and small boats

After an extraordinary and bizarre week where a tweet from Gary Lineker led to a crisis at the national broadcaster, Rory and Alastair try to make sense of the BBC’s handling of the situati... Continue

109. Question Time: Powerful speeches, population control and Isabel Oakeshott

What is the best speech Rory and Alastair have ever heard? Why is the cabinet so big? Would you rather trust Isabel Oakeshott or Xi Jinping with your phone? Rory and Alastair answer all these... Continue

108. Hancock’s humiliation and the end for Johnson

More than 100,000 WhatsApp messages have been leaked to the Daily Telegraph revealing private conversations between senior politicians and government officials during the height of the pandem... Continue

8: Bertie Ahern: The Troubles, peace, and the future of Ireland

How did the violence of The Troubles come to an end on the island of Ireland?Bertie Ahern, former Irish Taoiseach who served from 1997 to 2008, speaks to Alastair about his father's time in t... Continue