The Rest Is Politics

Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart break down current affairs in the UK and abroad. The Rest Is Politics, analyses the latest international news, provides debate on global issues, and reveals secrets from Westminster, whilst bringing back the lost art of disagreeing agreeably. With insider perspectives and expert analysis, The Rest Is Politics is the go-to podcast for anyone seeking intelligent, engaging discussions on British and global politics. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes and live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.
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Episodes
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406. Biden, Springsteen, and Trump: Dancing in the Dark
Wednesday, 21 May 2025
What does Trump’s outburst against Bruce Springsteen and Joe Biden tell us about his psychology? Why has he lifted sanctions on al-Sharaa’s Syria, and why now? Has Portugal finally lost its immunity to far-right populism? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just h...
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405. Starmer's EU Deal: A New Era
Monday, 19 May 2025
Is Starmer's UK-EU deal a “win-win” reset of relations or a betrayal of Brexit red lines? Will this deal actually lower food and energy costs or boost growth? What does twelve years of European fishing access really mean for the UK? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discor...
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404. Question Time: How Starmer Fell Into Farage's Immigration Trap
Thursday, 15 May 2025
What message is the new pope sending to Trump? To what extent are the USAID cuts killing children? And, did Rory “get it wrong” on water nationalisation? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial to...
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403. Trump's Gulf Billions: Saudi, Sanctions, and Ceasefires
Wednesday, 14 May 2025
From a $400m plane to starvation in Gaza, who will benefit from Trump’s big Gulf visit? Who really brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan? Can Zelensky and Ukraine survive on half-promises and secondhand weapons? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just...
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402. Question Time: India vs. Pakistan | What Happens Now?
Thursday, 8 May 2025
Should Labour boot Tony Blair over his attack on the government's climate policy? Why is the U.S. defending Germany’s AfD? Are Britain’s towns and cities more politically split than ever? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to ...
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401. Trump’s Corruption Machine, Israeli Settlers, and the Rise of Reform UK
Wednesday, 7 May 2025
How has Donald Trump transformed his political power into a money-making machine, and what does it mean for American democracy? How did Israel's settler movement shift from the extremist fringes into mainstream politics? Why does Nigel Farage always evade real scrutiny, and will he replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newslett...
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400. Question Time: Has the US underestimated China?
Thursday, 1 May 2025
What can be learnt from Poland’s fight against the far-right? Is it time for water to be nationalised? And, how has TRIP changed Alastair and Rory’s politics? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial ...
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399. Trump vs. Putin, How to Stop Farage, and Kashmir Explained
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
After 100 days of Trump 2.0, is he finally warming to Zelensky following their dramatic Vatican meeting? Is Reform UK’s rise really unstoppable? What’s next for India and Pakistan as the fight for Kashmir ramps up? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to ...
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398. Question Time: Trump’s Plan to Overhaul US Diplomacy
Thursday, 24 April 2025
Will Harvard win its fight with Trump? What caused Zelensky’s approval ratings to hit an all-time high? Which right-wing politician would Alastair swap places with? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free...
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397. Pope Francis, the Supreme Court Gender Ruling, and Trump’s International Populist Network
Wednesday, 23 April 2025
What does the UK's Supreme Court ruling mean for trans rights, single-sex spaces, and the debate Labour hoped to avoid? Is Trump 2.0 helping or hindering rightwing populists around the world? What is the real legacy of Pope Francis? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord....
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396. Question Time: It's over for Kemi Badenoch
Thursday, 17 April 2025
Why is politics still so elitist? What story is Kemi Badenoch trying to sell? And, how can Dutton escape Trump comparisons? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/...
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395. Trump, Xi, and how China outsmarted America
Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Does Trump want to turn America into China? How come politicians - including those on the right - want to nationalise steel in the UK? Are we witnessing a seismic change in German politics? The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign-ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Ti...
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394. How We Trolled the Trolls: Putin, Trump, and Musk (with Anthony Scaramucci)
Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Has Elon Musk paid for fans to defend him on social media? What percentage of Twitter responses to Rory Stewart, Alastair Campbell, and Anthony Scaramucci are fake bots? How can information on Twitter trolls inform us on election interference? Alastair and Rory are joined by Anthony Scaramucci to delve into the murky world of Twitter algorithms and trolls. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles m...
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393. Question Time: America’s last ally, Japan in crisis, and Netanyahu on the brink?
Thursday, 10 April 2025
Why were two Labour MPs denied entry to Israel? What led to the impeachment of South Korea’s president? Is there a decline in blue-collar MPs? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all of these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple P...
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392. Trump’s Rampage: The Fight Against Global Crisis
Wednesday, 9 April 2025
What’s really behind Trump’s tariff madness? Are we watching the US slide into authoritarianism in real time? How should Europe and the world fight back? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on ...
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391. Trump vs. the World: Global Trade War
Friday, 4 April 2025
What happens next? Is this the start of a global recession? How should allies hit back? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more, recorded in a special livestream on The Rest Is Politics YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@restispolitics/streams The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestis...
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390. Question Time: India’s moment, Qatargate, and do young brits want a dictator?
Thursday, 3 April 2025
How should Starmer respond to the 27% of young people who would prefer to live in a dictatorship? Could India become a third power, rivalling the US and China? And, why do politicians never explain why they won't make certain decisions? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on...
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389. Trump, Vance, and How the US Invades Greenland
Wednesday, 2 April 2025
America vs. the Arctic - is this the end for NATO? Should Marine Le Pen still be allowed to run for president? Will Australia adopt Trump-style politics, or can Albanese buck the trend? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up,...
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388. Question Time: Adolescence, Mexico at a crossroads, and Carney’s Canadian momentum
Friday, 28 March 2025
How has Mexico responded to Donald Trump? Will new Netflix show Adolescence really move the dial on youth violence? How significant a factor will Trump and the US relationship be in the Canadian election? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of this and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics Pl...
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387. Spring Statement Verdict with Economist Paul Johnson (Extract)
Thursday, 27 March 2025
This episode is available in FULL to members of TRIP Plus. Sign up now at therestispolitics.com Has Rachel Reeves played it too safe, or is caution exactly what the economy needs right now? Is this the end of austerity, or just a smarter version of it? Who are the real winners and losers? Rory and Alastair are joined by economist Paul Johnson (Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies) to discuss Rachel Reeves' Spring Statement, and what it all means for the UK economy. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new si...
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386. Trump's 'Bomb Yemen' Group Chat
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Is America now conducting ‘stag do diplomacy’? Is Turkey still a democracy? What will Rachel Reeves do in her Spring Statement? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Ques...
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385. Question Time: Trump, Putin, and the Future of Ukraine
Thursday, 20 March 2025
How likely is an all-out win for Putin? What do Saudi Arabia and UAE think about Trump? What is behind the protests in Serbia? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of this and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member to receive early access to Question Time episodes to live ...
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384. Labour’s War on Welfare, Trump’s Tariff Secret, and Britain’s Fight for Farming
Wednesday, 19 March 2025
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. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member to receive early access to Question Time episodes to...
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383. Question Time: Farage vs. Reform, is Labour still socialist, and how to ‘out-Trump’ Trump
Thursday, 13 March 2025
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 Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member to receive early access to Question Time episodes to live show ...
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382. Revenge on the West: Putin and Xi’s Plan For Trump
Wednesday, 12 March 2025
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 Western democracies? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Po...
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381. Question Time: Starmer’s Dilemma
Friday, 7 March 2025
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 could Rory and Alastair treated al-Sharaa more sternly? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit Ge...
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380. JD Vance vs. the UK
Thursday, 6 March 2025
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 as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member to receive...
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379. The Four Outcomes For Ukraine
Wednesday, 5 March 2025
How should the world move on from the Oval Office debacle? Should Trump's state visit go ahead? And, what are Alastair and Rory's predictions for upcoming elections in Canada and Australia? Join Rory and Alastair as they discuss all of this and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a...
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378. TRUMP VS. ZELENSKY: OVAL OFFICE SHOWDOWN
Friday, 28 February 2025
What does Trump’s dramatic outburst at Zelensky mean for Ukraine and the world? Was this an orchestrated ambush by JD Vance and Trump? Should King Charles withdraw his Trump state visit invitation? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions, visit GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ The Rest Is Politics P...
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377. Question Time: How will Europe defend itself?
Friday, 28 February 2025
Should the UK impose a ‘War Levy’ on VAT to raise immediate funds for defence? How much independence does Starmer have over the nuclear arsenal? And, what happened to the funds intended for Ukraine support raised by the sale of Chelsea football club? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups 🎉 TRIP+ gets you ad-free listening, discounts, and early access to episodes and pre-sale tickets for live shows! To sign up and for terms and conditions,...