Why are the British paying more for energy than anywhere else in Europe? How does society navigate the anxiety of having children during the climate crisis? What does the UK government need to do in order to speed up our transition to green energy? Rory and Alastair are joined by the Chief Executive of the Climate Change Committee and former CEO of Energy UK, Emma Pinchbeck, to answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early acce...
Jul 06, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 142
What role does Cyprus play in the Middle East conflicts? How can Europe and the United Kingdom strengthen their relations during this tumultuous time? How can governments fight corruption? Rory and Alastair are joined by Nikos Christodoulides, the President of Cyprus, to discuss all this 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 newslette...
Jun 29, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 141
Why has Macron become so unpopular? Where is the discussion of international law when it comes to the conflict between Israel and Iran? Why can’t the French and the English coordinate to stop the small boats crisis? Alastair and Rory are joined by former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to discuss all this and more. Sign up to Revolut Business today via: https://get.revolut.com/z4lF/leading, and add money to your account to get a £200 welcome bonus. This offer’s only available until 7th July ...
Jun 22, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 140
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 stage? Rory and Alastair are joined by former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to discuss all this and more. Sign up to Revolut Business today via: https://get.revolut.com/z4lF/leading, and add money to your account to get a £200 welcome bonus. This offer’s only available until 7th July 2025 and other T&Cs ...
Jun 15, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 139
What are the biggest lies we're being told about social media? How does unregulated social media help Trump and authoritarian regimes? How do you beat an addiction to your phone? Jonathan Haidt joins Rory and Alastair to discuss all this 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 ...
Jun 08, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 138
How should New Zealand navigate their complex web of alliances as the relationship between China and the US deteriorates? Jacinda Ardern was considered a beacon of hope when she came to office in 2017, how did she navigate this pressure? To what extent is politics about personal gratification and the pursuit of power? Alastair and Rory are joined by the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, to answer all this and more. Sign up to Revolut Business today via: https://get.revolut.co...
Jun 01, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 137
How did Ed Miliband recover from Labour’s 2015 defeat and decide to remain in politics? Can the Energy Secretary win the argument for Net Zero against the likes of Tony Blair and Nigel Farage? Is it possible to be in politics and be a good parent? Sign up to Revolut Business today via: https://get.revolut.com/z4lF/leading, and add money to your account to get a £200 welcome bonus. This offer’s only available until 7th July 2025 and other T&Cs apply. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is ...
May 29, 2025•55 min•Ep. 136
How did Ed Miliband’s childhood being raised by survivors of the Holocaust shape his politics? How did his role mediating between Blair and Brown earn Ed the moniker ‘Emissary from planet F***’? What was it like to take on his own brother in the Labour leadership race? Sign up to Revolut Business today via: https://get.revolut.com/z4lF/leading, and add money to your account to get a £200 welcome bonus. This offer’s only available until 7th July 2025 and other T&Cs apply. To get an exclusive ...
May 25, 2025•57 min•Ep. 135
Who, instead of Hamas, could represent a peaceful Palestinian leadership? Why does Marwan Barghouti remain the most popular leader in Palestine despite being in jail for over 20 years, a period during which more than 50% of the population was not yet born? How do the Occupied territories remain hopeful during the ongoing war in the region? Rory and Alastair are joined by Marwan Barghouti's son, Arab Barghouti, to discuss all this and more. Sign up to Revolut Business today via: https://get.revol...
May 18, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 134
Will Europe ever trust the US again? What is the future of the Democratic party? What does the signal chat leak tell us about the psychology of the Trump administration? TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes....
May 11, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 133
What is the real job of a spy? What is the role of the UK’s intelligence community in Trump’s new world order? How does the relationship between politicians and intelligence services work? TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Ques...
May 04, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 132
How many people are going to die as a result of American support for USAID programs being removed? What are the limits of thinking of AI as the silver bullet for healthcare? How do we bring the doubling of the human lifespan to everyone alive without bankrupting our societies? TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on t...
Apr 27, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 131
What is the impact of Trump and China on the Australian election on 3rd May? How has the Australian government taken on social media companies to protect young users? How did Prime Minister Anthony Albanese track down and reunite with his long lost father? Alastair and Rory are joined by Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister, to answer all this and more. Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to https://incogni.com/leading The Rest Is Politics Pl...
Apr 20, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 130
How does a society defined by liberty and revolution become so easy to censor? Is polarisation something that has been done to us as an active political strategy or did we do this to ourselves? How did the Silicon Valley CEOs’ friction with their workers drive them towards camp MAGA? Alastair and Rory are joined by Ezra Klein, coauthor of Abundance: How We Build A Better Future, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive ...
Apr 13, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 129
Why do the wrong people become MPs? How can we transform Westminster into a modern day workplace? How did Simon Hart’s time at The Countryside Alliance inform his politics? Rory and Alastair are joined by the ex-Tory Chief Whip, Simon Hart, to discuss all this and more. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics. Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @RestIsPolitics Email: [email protected] Video Editor: Josh Smit...
Apr 07, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 128
Is this the end of democracy in the USA? Following the election of Trump, could democracy in America die? How did Moises Naim come up with his three p’s; Populism, Polarisation, and Post-truth? Alastair and Rory are joined by Moises Naim, journalist and former Venezuelan minister, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from d...
Mar 30, 2025•48 min•Ep. 127
What role does the UN play in the Occupied Palestinian territories? What is the responsibility of Western media when it comes to covering issues surrounding Israel and Palestine? How did Francesca Albanese’s Southern Italian heritage inform her passion for fighting injustice? Rory and Alastair are joined by Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Re...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 126
5 consecutive UK Prime Ministers have declared that the UK will become an AI Superpower, why is Keir Starmer any different? Why does no one have ‘big ideas’ anymore? And, how did Peter Kyle’s experience of grief shape the politician he is today? Rory and Alastair are joined by Peter Kyle, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enj...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 13 min
How did Michael Wolff manage to penetrate and expose Trump’s inner circle multiple times? Will the Murdoch empire survive the death of its Patriarch? Who’s really in charge in the White House? Rory and Alastair are joined by journalist and author, Michael Wolff, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles...
Mar 10, 2025•55 min•Ep. 124
Why do both former Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, and former Canadian deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, think they’re best placed to lead Canada? How will either take on Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre if they win the Liberal party leadership elections on March 9th? What do they think about the ‘existential threat’ to Canada that is President Donald Trump? TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ...
Mar 03, 2025•2 hr 6 min•Ep. 123
Are Trump and Putin carving up the world? How should the EU adapt to this new world? What imagination is needed on the political left? TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes. Just head to therestispolitics.com...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 122
Why did Yulia’s husband, Alexei Navalny, return to Russia, knowing he’d be imprisoned? Is there any credible opposition to Putin left? What does the West get wrong about Putin’s Russia? TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Questio...
Feb 17, 2025•57 min•Ep. 121
How did Ahmed al-Sharaa go from an imprisoned al-Qaeda fighter to the leader of Syria? What is the psychological impact of living a secret life for over twenty years? What is the future of Syria? Ahmed al-Sharaa joins Rory and Alastair to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to receive early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, enjoy ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, receive our exclusive newsletter, benefit from discount...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 120
How did Barack Obama become President? What was Hillary Clinton's huge mistake in 2016? How corrupt really is American politics today? Pod Save America host and former Barack Obama speechwriter, Tommy Veitor, joins Rory and Alastair to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the po...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 119
What’s the relationship between intelligence agencies and the politicians they serve? How does Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu react in a crisis? How confident should we be that the ceasefire will last? Alastair and Rory are joined by former Head of Mossad Intelligence and National Security Advisor to Benjamin Netanyahu, Uzi Arad, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 118
As the US retreats from the international stage, who is going to fill the gap? What will the ‘peace processes of the future’ look like? Who has more power, the tech giants or political leaders? Rory and Alastair are joined by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN, Tom Fletcher, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 117
How can AI help solve global problems such as poverty, hunger, and disease? Is there a hidden dark side to this new technology? What is in store for the future of artificial intelligence? Rory and Alastair are joined by Senior Vice President of Google, James Manyika, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book p...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 116
Why do some soldiers make bad politicians? What's the West doing wrong in terms of its policy towards the Ukraine War? How can Keir Starmer turn around the public perception of his Labour government? On today's episode of Leading Rory and Alastair are joined by Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence from 2019 to 2023. Tune in to hear the former Tory minister answers all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our excl...
Jan 06, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 115
How did Morgan’s upbringing as the daughter of a priest set her off on a path to become Welsh First Minister? What does a former member of the European Parliament think happened with Brexit? How has the devolved parliament tackled the NHS? Rory and Alastair are joined by the first minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and...
Dec 30, 2024•52 min•Ep. 114
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 biggest conflicts? Is there room for hope in an increasingly tense and fragmented world? Rory and Alastair are joined by American political scientist, Ian Bremmer, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, en...
Dec 23, 2024•59 min•Ep. 113
