Why is one of AI's most powerful insiders scared of what he's building? Who's really in charge of the technology reshaping our world? Is it too late for governments to regulate it? Rory and Matt Clifford are joined by Jack Clark, Co-Founder of Anthropic, to answer all these questions and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com __________ Socia...
May 31, 2026•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 191
Why does Trump understand the media better than the media understands him? Are tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos more dangerous to journalism than Rupert Murdoch ever was? What did Tina Brown see change in Trump from the '80s to now, and when did he turn "dark"? Alastair and Rory are joined by Tina Brown, author of the Substack 'Fresh Hell' and former editor-in-chief of Tatler, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker, to discuss all these questions and more. Find out more about Truth Telle...
May 24, 2026•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 190
Will Rahm Emanuel run to be the next President of the United States? What were the underlying policy disagreements regarding West Bank settlements that led to Benjamin Netanyahu publicly attacking Rahm Emanuel? And, what approach would he take to handle the conflict with Iran and modernise the United States' relationships with Europe? Rory and Alastair are joined by American politician and diplomat, Rahm Emanuel, to discuss all this and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look...
May 17, 2026•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 189
Could artificial intelligence hand the US or China 99% of global economic and military power? What happens when millions of autonomous weapons systems are controlled by a single commander-in-chief? Has effective altruism's influence in Silicon Valley accelerated or slowed the race for artificial general intelligence? Alastair and Rory are joined by William MacAskill to discuss all this and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. You can purchase Will...
May 10, 2026•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 188
Was the 2008 financial crisis as consequential as the 1929 Wall Street Crash? How did it pave the way for Trump, Brexit, and the rise of the far-right across Europe? Will the economic damage caused by Trump’s war with Iran outlast the conflict itself? Rory and Alastair are joined by Yanis Varoufakis to discuss all this and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Josh Smith Assistant Producer: D...
May 03, 2026•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 187
How does President Vučić justify Serbia's geopolitical balancing act between Russia, China, and the European Union? Why does he warn that if the EU further delays enlargement, the United States might seize the opportunity to build its own sphere of influence in Southeastern Europe? Can Serbia join the EU without recognising Kosovo's independence, and what would that mean for Europe's future? Rory and Alastair are joined by Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia, to discuss all this and more. ____...
Apr 26, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 186
Does the Leader of Scottish Labour regret calling for Keir Starmer to resign over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador? In the upcoming election, would he consider putting Scottish Labour into a coalition with the Reform Party to defeat the SNP? How does he plan to tackle the rise of Islamophobia and the politics of despair that are increasingly gripping Scotland and the UK? Rory and Alastair are joined by Anas Sarwar, Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, to discuss all these q...
Apr 19, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 185
At a time when the United States is threatening to withdraw from NATO, how can Europe maximise its power to deter Russia's threat? If Vladimir Putin were given the territory Donald Trump offered in his peace plan, what would his next move be? Why does the White House keep misunderstanding Putin’s real war aims? Alastair Campbell is joined by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, to discuss all this and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. ___...
Apr 09, 2026•52 min•Ep. 184
How did Naz Shah’s experience growing up in Bradford and her experience with her family in the legal system influence her to go into politics? What does it mean for a political party to truly “stand for something” in modern Britain? How can faith influence politics in a secular society? Rory and Alastair are joined by Labour MP, Naz Shah, to discuss all this and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video ...
Apr 05, 2026•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 183
How are rights for trans people in the US improving or worsening under the Republican administration? What fundamentally needs to change in Congress to improve the state of politics? Are the Democrats doing enough to win back the American public? Rory and Alastair are joined by US Congresswoman, Sarah McBride, to answer all this and more. Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock e...
Mar 29, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 182
Why was Ai Weiwei kidnapped and held prisoner by the Chinese government? How did the 2008 Sichuan earthquake radicalise him into taking aim at the authorities through art? What’s behind Ai Weiwei’s belief that there is a serious censorship issue in the West? Rory and Alastair are joined by Artist and Activist, Ai Weiwei, to answer all this and more. Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com ...
Mar 23, 2026•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 181
Why is Prime Minister Sánchez such an outlier in challenging Trump on everything from military spending to Gaza? What’s behind Spain’s recent economic success? How is Spain tackling the rising far-right? What are Pedro Sánchez’s lessons for Keir Starmer? Alastair and Rory are joined by Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain, to answer all this and more. Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics....
Mar 16, 2026•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 180
How did President Stubb’s golfing talent lead him to fostering a close relationship with President Trump? Why was ‘Prime Minister’ the worst job ever? Why will the Global South define the new world order? Rory and Alastair are joined by Finland’s President, Alexander Stubb, to answer all this and more. Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Ro...
Mar 09, 2026•42 min•Ep. 179
What happened on a ridiculous midnight phone call between Donald Trump and the Governor of California? Why does Gavin Newsom believe the President will be crushed in the mid-terms? What is Newsom’s tactic for trolling Trump? Will Newsom run for president in 2028? Alastair and Rory are joined by Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, to answer all of this and more. Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at theresti...
Mar 02, 2026•54 min•Ep. 178
Does the former German Chancellor think that Germany was wrong to rely on Russian gas in the run up to the war in Ukraine? What does Olaf Scholz think is behind the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany? Why will building respect help bring about a more equal and resilient society? Rory and Alastair are joined by Olaf Scholz, former German chancellor, to answer all this and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus cont...
Feb 23, 2026•59 min•Ep. 177
How does the former US Special Representative for Iran think US-Iranian relations will improve? Is there a method to Trump’s madness when it comes to foreign policy? Why does Robert believe the “two-state solution” for Israel and Palestine is dead? Alastair and Rory are joined by Robert Malley, architect of the 2015 Iran Nuclear deal, to answer all this and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory an...
Feb 16, 2026•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 176
Do Russia or China represent a bigger risk to UK national security? Why are we underestimating the threat posed by cybercriminals? Who holds the real power - ministers or spies? Rory and Alastair are joined by Jeremy Fleming, formerly of GCHQ and MI5, to answer all this and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live sho...
Feb 09, 2026•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 175
How did Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya go from being a housewife to leading a Belarussian government in exile? How did Aleksandr Lukashenko become the last dictator in Europe? Why was Segei, Sviatlana’s husband, imprisoned for opposing the Putin-backed regime? Alastair and Rory are joined by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who, along with Bill Browder, is part of a two part series featuring those standing up to Putin. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock ex...
Feb 06, 2026•29 min•Ep. 174
How did the “biggest capitalist in Eastern Europe” become the primary target of the Russian state? Why was Bill Browder’s friend Sergei Magnitsky killed in Russian prison? Why did Putin really start the war in Ukraine? Rory and Alastair are joined by Bill Browder to answer all this and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes ...
Feb 02, 2026•51 min•Ep. 173
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? Alastair and Rory are joined by former Labour leader Neil Kinnock to answer all this and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, an exclusive members’ ...
Jan 26, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 172
Whilst an early career MP, why did Neil Kinnock rebel against the Labour Party so regularly? As Labour leader, how did Kinnock take on militant and the ‘ultra-left’ within the Labour Party? What regrets does Kinnock have about the way he responded to the Miners’ strikes? Rory and Alastair are joined by former Labour leader Neil Kinnock to answer all this and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content plus ad-free listeni...
Jan 19, 2026•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 171
How did Maia Sandu fight Russian disinformation in Moldova? What is it like to have a war in the country next door? Will the European Union accept Moldova with Russian troops in the country? Rory and Alastair travel to Moldova to speak with President Maia Sandu to discuss all this and more. ________________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Josh Smith Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne Producer: Alice Horrell Senior Producer: Nicole Maslen Head of Politics: Tom Whiter Exec Produc...
Jan 12, 2026•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 170
Who gave us an encyclopedia in our pockets? Why is the statement that Donald Trump is the "worst president in US history" allowed on his Wikipedia page? How do Brazilians and Americans differ on the history of the airplane? Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell are joined by the creator of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, to discuss all this and more. For Leading listeners, there’s free access to the Wordsmith Academy - plus their report on the future of legal skills. Visit https://www.wordsmith.ai/politics...
Jan 05, 2026•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 169
Can the planet sustain infinite economic growth, or is GDP a flawed metric? Is the UK genuinely decarbonising, or is it simply outsourcing its pollution? How can politicians defeat the populist narrative that Net Zero is too expensive? In this Climate Special, we hear the best bits from Rory and Alastair's interviews with Professor Dieter Helm, Mark Carney, Caroline Lucas, Ed Miliband, and Emma Pinchbeck. For Leading listeners, there’s free access to the Wordsmith Academy - plus their report on ...
Dec 29, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 168
From Parliament to Prison, how can people find calm in chaotic environments? How does one cope with grief during the festive period? What are some successful ways to combat depression? Rory and Alastair are joined by clinical psychologist and ordained Minister, Mark Williams, to answer all these questions and more. Please note, this podcast episode contains some discussion of suicidal ideation. Please take care whilst listening. Gift The Rest Is Politics Plus this Christmas - give someone a whol...
Dec 22, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 167
What is the future of the Scottish independence movement? How does the SNP rebuild trust and support for independence after a series of bruising scandals? Why did the Scottish First Minister feel disrespected by a series of Conservative Prime Ministers? Alastair and Rory are joined by Scottish First Minister John Swinney to answer all this and more. Gift The Rest Is Politics Plus this Christmas - give someone a whole year of Rory and Alastair’s miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to epis...
Dec 15, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 166
Why should everybody get fired at least once? As the former Editor-in-chief of American Vogue, how does Anna Wintour use fashion as a cultural and economic force? Why is Anna’s leadership style defined by the speed of her decision making? Rory and Alastair are joined by Fashion icon Anna Wintour to answer all this and more. Gift The Rest Is Politics Plus this Christmas - give someone a whole year of Rory and Alastair’s miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets...
Dec 08, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 165
Why has Green party membership exploded since Zack Polanski became leader in September? What radical economic reforms is he fighting for? Why have the Greens stopped talking about the environment? Alastair and Rory are joined by Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, to answer all this and more. Gift The Rest Is Politics Plus this Christmas - give someone a whole year of Rory and Alastair’s miniseries, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, an exclusive members’ ne...
Dec 01, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 164
Jacob Dunne killed someone as a teenager, how did he seek forgiveness from his victim’s parents? What is restorative justice? How did Jacob’s experience of the criminal justice system compel him to become a campaigner for this alternative idea of justice? How does James Graham believe drama encourages us to have the difficult conversations necessary to build a better world? Rory and Alastair are joined by playwright James Graham and campaigner Jacob Dunne, who co-created the award-winning play T...
Nov 24, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 163
What invaluable life-lessons did Gareth Southgate learn by missing a high profile penalty in the Euro 96 semi-finals? Does the former England manager see a future for himself in politics? How should we teach resilience and leadership to the next generation of men? Alastair and Rory are joined by former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate to answer all this and more. Gift The Rest Is Politics Plus this Christmas - give someone a whole year of Rory and Alastair’s miniseries, ad-free listening, ea...
Nov 17, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 162
