The Rest Is Politics - podcast cover

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.

Episodes

372. Syria, al-Sharaa, and the future of the Middle East

What does al-Sharaa's rise to power mean for Syria? Given his surprise takeover, how will today’s CIA analysts be changing the way they think about the country and what happens next? Will Syria be the next Libya? Join Rory and Alastair as they discuss Syria’s rapidly shifting political landscape with former CIA analyst and The Rest Is Classified co-host David McCloskey, who spent almost a decade covering Syria from Langley and Damascus, both before and during the Syrian civil war. The Rest Is Po...

Feb 15, 20251 hr 9 minEp. 372

371. Question Time: Buying Gaza, Macron’s AI Stunt, and Europe on a Knife’s Edge

How does Trump’s controversial plan impact Middle Eastern relations? Can President Macron combat AI deep fakes in France? How does Canada plan to fight a trade war with the US? 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 ...

Feb 13, 202539 minEp. 371

370. Starmer’s Silver Bullet and Trump’s War on the Poor

Will Musk’s Washington power grab increase global poverty? Has Keir Starmer lost control of his cabinet? Is now the perfect moment for Britain to join the customs union? 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 ...

Feb 12, 20251 hr 4 minEp. 370

369. Question Time: China’s DeepSeek, Ambassador Mandelson, and misogyny in politics

What’s the danger of China’s DeepSeek? Why are male and female politicians still treated differently? Are politicians right to appease leaders they don’t agree with? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. Stream brand-new drama Brian and Maggie now on Channel 4. 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-...

Feb 07, 202548 minEp. 369

368. Trump's Plan for Gaza

What exactly does Trump mean by "taking over" Gaza? How have others reacted to Trump's proposals? How serious is he? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in an emergency livestream, recorded on Wednesday 5th February 2025. 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...

Feb 06, 20251 hr 1 minEp. 368

367. Rory vs JD Vance, recording from Damascus, and Trump’s tariffs

Why are Rory and Alastair in Damascus? What’s going on with JD Vance? Has there been a twist in the German election? 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 ⚡ Get our ...

Feb 05, 20251 hr 8 minEp. 367

366. Question Time: Why do dictators bother with sham elections?

What stops billionaires spending their money in their lifetime? How can you stay engaged with politics without sacrificing mental health? Who are the hidden actors in the Israel/Gaza conflict? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. Stream brand-new drama Brian and Maggie now on Channel 4. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your ch...

Jan 30, 202552 minEp. 366

365. Trump's Mafia World Order

How many ‘early warning signs of fascism’ are we seeing in the US? Has Trump delivered a fatal blow to America’s soft power around the world? Why does Alastair admire Prince Harry and his battle with the tabloids? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Lear...

Jan 29, 202555 minEp. 365

364. Question Time: America’s waning power, Alastair vs. Meta, and the existential threat of depopulation

Musk, Zuckerberg, and Trump – who’s controlling who? Does populist isolationism actually make a country weaker? Could Farage actually be Prime Minister by 2029? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at GetFuse.com/Politics EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal...

Jan 23, 202540 minEp. 364

363. The Return of Donald J. Trump

What did the inauguration tell us about how extreme Trump 2.0 is going to be? What is Netanyahu’s endgame for Gaza – peace or perpetual war? Why has Starmer launched an inquiry into the Southport attacks? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at...

Jan 22, 20251 hr 3 minEp. 363

362. Question Time: Labour’s education error and Blair’s mistake on mental health

Why are students protesting in Serbia? Is Labour right to scrap financial support for Latin in state schools? What does Alastair think about Tony Blair’s comments on mental health? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in today's Question Time. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more a...

Jan 16, 202546 minEp. 362

361. Gaza, Israel, and Ceasefire

How can Gaza be rebuilt after any ceasefire is agreed? What are the ‘six deadly sins’ of the liberal centre? What should we make of Starmer’s AI action plan for Britain? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. Peter Hyman's New European article discussed in the episode can be found here! The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chan...

Jan 15, 20251 hr 3 minEp. 361

360. Question Time: Assad’s People - Syria, Torture, and Justice

Are the media ignoring what’s happening in Gaza? Should the UK be boycotting the cricket in Afghanistan? And, how worried should we be about democratic backsliding in Georgia and Venezuela? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in today's Question Time. 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...

Jan 09, 202543 minEp. 360

359. Starmer vs. Musk: Why the richest man in the world turned against the Prime Minister

What's behind Musk's spiral into the far right? Is Robert Jenrick veering into Enoch Powell territory? Is Austria on the precipice of a new form of fascism? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after sign up for a chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at getfuse.com/politics ⚡ TRIP Plus: Become a member of ...

Jan 08, 20251 hr 2 minEp. 359

358. Question Time: Political translators, Boris Johnson, and politicians to watch in 2025

What are Rory and Alastair's funny translation stories? Could Boris Johnson ever have a comeback? And are there any politicians to watch out for in 2025? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in today's Question Time. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ TR...

Jan 02, 202539 minEp. 346

357. Political New Year's resolutions, Elon Musk, and what happens next in Taiwan?

What should Labour’s new year resolution be? How worried should we be about Elon Musk? Could China move on Taiwan in 2025? Join Rory and Alastair in this New Year's Day special episode to hear them answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ 🌏 Get our exc...

Jan 01, 202558 minEp. 357

356. Georgia, Russia, and the fight for democracy - An interview with the President of Georgia

Will Georgia’s President accept the inauguration of her successor on the 29th of December? If she does, will Georgia be handed over to Russia? Is there a way back to Europe for the country? In this live interview, Rory and Alastair speak with Salome Zourabichvili to ask all of this and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch b...

Dec 27, 202451 minEp. 356

355. How to start a campaign, Gisele Pelicot, and the biggest surprise of 2024

Why has the environment fallen off the political agenda? What events caught geopolitical experts off guard in 2024? And, what advice would Alastair give to anyone looking to start their own campaign? Join Rory and Alastair as they discuss all this, and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at GetFuse.com/P...

Dec 26, 202447 minEp. 355

354. Nigel Farage, dad-dancing populists, and the worst politician of the year

Who was the worst politician of the year? What was the biggest political moment of 2024? What was the most under-discussed moment of the year? Join Rory and Alastair as they discuss all this, and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up for your chance to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at GetFuse.com/Politics ⚡ Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.c...

Dec 25, 202440 minEp. 354

353. Question Time: Celeb politicians, Chinese spies, and Ireland vs. Israel

Why is Israel shutting its embassy in Ireland? Who is the alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew? Will the UK ever have a Donald Trump-style leader? Rory and Alastair answer all these questions and more in this week's Question Time. 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 r...

Dec 19, 202440 minEp. 353

352. How to solve the small boats crisis

Will Labour be able to deliver on their promises on immigration? What is the thinking behind some of Trump's cabinet picks? Could German politics swing to the right? Join Rory and Alastair as they discuss all this, and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across the UK. Use referral code POLITICS after sign up for a chance to win a signed copy of Rory and Alastair's books with personalised messages. Learn more at getfuse.com/politics ⚡...

Dec 18, 20241 hr 1 minEp. 352

351. Question Time: Geopolitics in Crisis

Why did the president of South Korea announce martial law this week? What does the result of the Romanian elections spell for Europe? How can Georgia resolve the protests happening there? Rory and Alastair answer all these questions and more in this week's Question Time. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across the UK. Use referral code POLITICS after sign up for a chance to win a signed copy of Rory and Alastair's books with personalised...

Dec 12, 202448 minEp. 351

350. Assad in Moscow, Trump meets Zelensky, and Farage’s secret strategy

Is there hope for Syria? What’s next for France? And, why does Nigel Farage have a spring in his step? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across the UK. Use referral code POLITICS after sign up for a chance to win a signed copy of Rory and Alastair's books with personalised messages. Learn more at getfuse.com/politics ⚡ Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/res...

Dec 11, 20241 hr 2 minEp. 350

349. The Fall of Assad: What's next for Syria?

Who are the Syrian rebels that have captured the capital? Why has the Assad regime collapsed so quickly? What's next for Syria, and the Middle East? Join Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell as they answer all these questions and more in this emergency episode of The Rest is Politics. This episode was originally streamed live on YouTube. Watch here. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITI...

Dec 08, 202453 minEp. 349

348. Syria, Afghanistan, and The Rest Is Classified

It has been thirteen years since Bashar al-Assad triggered a civil war which would kill hundreds of thousands of people and devastate Syria. Recent events have shown just how far his rule has shattered the nation. Today Alastair and Rory are joined by former CIA Syria Analyst David McCloskey and host of Goalhanger’s latest podcast, The Rest Is Classified to discuss them, along with his new episode on the first CIA teams in Afghanistan after 9/11. To hear the full episode, search The Rest Is Clas...

Dec 06, 202417 minEp. 348

347. Question Time: Biden’s Pardon is Unforgivable

Is Starmer right to dismiss the two million people calling for a general election? What are Georgia’s chances of EU integration? And, if they were heading up British Intelligence, how much information would Rory and Alastair share with America? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across the UK. Use referral code POLITICS after sign up for a chance to win a signed copy of Ro...

Dec 05, 202444 minEp. 347

346. The Battle for Syria

Who are the Syrian rebels who have attacked Aleppo? Will Keir Starmer's reset be enough to convince the public? Why is the French government on the brink of collapse? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all this and more in today's episode of The Rest Is Politics. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up to win a TRIP merch bundle. Learn more at getfuse.com/politics ...

Dec 04, 202448 minEp. 346

345. TRIP US: The Golden Age of Corruption

Is the United States entering a new age of corruption? Why are Democrats staying silent? What will be different about a second Trump term? This week, Anthony Scaramucci is joined by Alastair Campbell to answer all this and more in this episode of The Rest Is Politics US. Instagram: @RestPoliticsUS Twitter: @RestPoliticsUS Email: [email protected] Social Producer: Jess Kidson Assistant Producer: India Dunkley Producers: Fiona Douglas + Nicole Maslen Senior Producer: Dom Johnson Head of Digita...

Nov 29, 202452 minEp. 345

344. Question Time: Should MPs vote with their conscience or constituents?

Is there anything wrong with being an isolationist government? How far has ‘woke’ been weaponised by the far-right? Will Rory ever go on reality TV? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across the UK. Use referral code POLITICS after sign up for a chance to win a signed copy of Rory and Alastair's books with personalised messages. Learn more at getfuse.com/politics ⚡ Get our...

Nov 28, 202446 minEp. 344

343. What Happens Next: Israel vs. the International Criminal Court

How has the world responded to the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for top Israeli officials? What does Trump have planned for the war in Ukraine? Is Chancellor Rachel Reeves really embarking on a ‘growth agenda’? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all this and more in today's episode of The Rest Is Politics. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy, a green electricity supplier powering homes across England, Scotland & Wales. Use referral code POLITICS after signing up to...

Nov 27, 20241 hr 1 minEp. 343
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast