The Rest Is Politics: Leading

The Rest Is Politics’ Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart interview politicians, leaders, intellectuals, and more. From inside and outside of politics, guests join Rory and Alastair to discuss life, leadership, and the philosophy that’s led them to success in their chosen field. Their conversations cover key political events, global affairs, and the big ideas shaping the world today, offering listeners in-depth perspectives from those at the heart of change. 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/therestispolitics. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Episodes

167. Faith, Depression, and Finding Calm in the Chaos (Professor Mark Williams)

December 21, 2025 • 65 mins

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 liste...

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166. John Swinney: Identity, Independence, and The Future of Scotland

December 14, 2025 • 74 mins

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 o...

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165. Anna Wintour: Culture, Influence, and the Power of Decisive Leadership

December 7, 2025 • 73 mins

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 min...

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164. Zack Polanski: Do The Greens Have What It Takes?

November 30, 2025 • 79 mins

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,...

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163. Prison Reform, Masculinity, and Restorative Justice (James Graham and Jacob Dunne)

November 23, 2025 • 70 mins

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 Graha...

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162. Gareth Southgate: Patriotism, Leadership, and How To Inspire Young Men

November 16, 2025 • 61 mins

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 some...

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161. Putin, Trump, and 500 Years of Resisting Russia (Radek Sikorski)

November 9, 2025 • 57 mins

What was it like for Radek Sikorski to be a refugee in the UK from communist Poland in the 80s? How will the war in Ukraine come to an end? Why is populism on the rise in Europe and how do we fight it? Rory and Alastair are joined by Radek Sikorski, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to answer all this and more. Get more from The Rest Is Politics with TRIP+. Enjoy bonus episodes, ad-free listening,...

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160. Michael Gove: Education, Brexit, and Trump (Part 2)

November 2, 2025 • 70 mins

What is Michael Gove's lasting legacy on education in the UK? Would he have come to his position on Brexit if it weren't for Dominic Cummings? Is Nigel Farage's Reform a better chance for the UK than Labour? Rory and Alastair are joined by Michael Gove for a second episode answering all these questions and more. Get more from The Rest Is Politics with TRIP+. Enjoy bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access, live show ti...

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159. Michael Gove: My Journey From Left to Right (Part 1)

October 26, 2025 • 55 mins

How did Michael Gove go from campaigning for Labour leader Michael Foot in 1983 to becoming a Conservative MP? What is the impact that Rupert Murdoch has had on public life? What do Michael and Rory disagree about when it comes to Israel? Alastair and Rory are joined by former Cabinet Minister Michael Gove to answer all this and more. Get more from The Rest Is Politics with TRIP+. Enjoy bonus episodes, ad-free listening, e...

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158. Baroness Hale: The Supreme Court, Boris Johnson, and the ECHR

October 19, 2025 • 68 mins

How did it feel to take on then Prime Minister Boris Johnson when Baroness Hale ruled his suspension of Parliament "unlawful"? Why does the Trump administration present such a threat to the international rule of law? The ‘Spider Woman’ has been at the centre of the legal battle for women’s rights, how have these changed in the past 50 years? Rory and Alastair are joined by Baroness Hale, the first female President of The Supreme...

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157. Ukraine, Diplomacy, and the Future of Europe (Dmytro Kuleba)

October 12, 2025 • 64 mins

What is the current position of Ukraine in the Ukraine-Russia war? How delicate is diplomacy with Europe and with the US for the Ukrainian government? What are the differences between working with world leaders such as Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, and Joe Biden? Rory and Alastair are joined by the former Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba (2022-2024) to discuss all this and more. Get more from The Rest Is Politics w...

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156. Defence Secretary, John Healey: Is Britain Ready For War?

October 5, 2025 • 75 mins

What tactic did Donald Trump steal from Gordon Brown? What can we learn from when Labour beat UKIP in the 2012 Rotherham by-election when it comes to taking on Farage? As a New Labour alumnus, why does John Healey think there was more patience for change in 1997 compared to 2024? Rory and Alastair are joined by John Healey, The Secretary of State for Defence, to discuss all this and more. For Leading listeners, there’s free...

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155. Mike Pompeo On Russia, Trump, and China

September 28, 2025 • 50 mins

Why does the former Secretary of State think the US is going too soft on Russia and China? What was it like working closely with President Trump? Why did Putin invade Europe under Obama and Biden, but not Trump? Alastair and Rory are joined by Mike Pompeo, former US Secretary of State and CIA-Director, to discuss all this and more. Visit HP.com/politics to find out more. To save your company time and money, open a Revolu...

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154. Maro Itoje: Inequality, Identity, and Hope

September 21, 2025 • 61 mins

How do we tackle global poverty and fight for change? What qualities are needed in a leadership role? Is the Labour government delivering on the issue of inequality in the UK? Rory and Alastair are joined by captain of the England Rugby team, Maro Itoje, to discuss all this and more. Visit HP.com/politics to find out more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your FREE TRIAL at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonu...

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153. The Man Who Invented The World Wide Web (Tim Berners-Lee)

September 14, 2025 • 60 mins

Tim Berners-Lee could be one of the richest men on the planet, why did he forfeit such large profits to make the World Wide Web a free and open space? How do we reclaim the internet from social media companies taking away our sovereignty? Have tech giants like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk thanked Tim for his invention? Rory and Alastair are joined by Sir Tim Berners-Lee to discuss all this and more. Visit HP.co...

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152. "A War on Children": A Generation in Gaza at Risk (James Elder)

September 7, 2025 • 63 mins

Why is the humanitarian situation in Gaza the worst that James Elder has ever seen? What does the process of rebuilding Gaza look like? How do the people working on the ground not lose hope? UNICEF spokesperson James Elder joins Alastair and Rory to answer all these questions and more. To donate to UNICEF UK's Gaza appeal visit unicef.uk/gaza-podcast. £30 could help provide life-saving therapeutic food for a child for 3 wee...

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151. Prime Minister of Norway: On Trump, Tech, and Brexit Lessons (Jonas Gahr Støre)

August 31, 2025 • 58 mins

Why is the nation with the world’s richest sovereign wealth fund not ‘universally happy’? What can the UK learn from Norway’s relationship with the EU? Is Jonas Gahr Støre really standing between Trump and a Nobel Peace Prize? Alastair and Rory are joined by The Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, to discuss all this and more. Visit HP.com/politics to find out more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Polit...

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150. Nicola Sturgeon: What Really Happened In The Scottish Referendum (Part 2)

August 24, 2025 • 67 mins

How did the media and Westminster impact the Scottish Referendum? Why are spin rooms "utterly pointless" in Nicola's view? Is misogyny in politics as bad as it used to be, or getting worse due to social media? Rory and Alastair are joined by Nicola Sturgeon for part 2 of their interview to answer all these questions and more. Visit HP.com/politics to find out more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your FREE TRIAL at ...

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149. Nicola Sturgeon: On Margaret Thatcher, Alex Salmond, and the Push for Independence (Part 1)

August 17, 2025 • 46 mins

What is the difference between class distinctions in Scotland and the rest of the UK? How did Nicola Sturgeon's childhood in Scotland inform her politics? What was Margaret Thatcher's influence on Nicola's career? Rory and Alastair are joined by former Leader of the SNP and First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, to answer all these questions and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your FREE TRIAL at therestispo...

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148. The President of Guyana: The Fastest Growing Economy in the World (Irfaan Ali)

August 14, 2025 • 62 mins

How does Guyana balance its unprecedented economic growth, largely due to oil discoveries, with environmental sustainability? How does Guyana perceive and address the historical scar left by slavery? What has happened to West Indies cricket, and how does the future look? Alastair is joined by President of Guyana, Ifraan Ali, to answer all these questions and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your FREE TRIAL at ther...

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The Rest Is Politics: Leading

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}167. Faith, Depression, and Finding Calm in the Chaos (Professor Mark Williams)

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}166. John Swinney: Identity, Independence, and The Future of Scotland

165. Anna Wintour: Culture, Influence, and the Power of Decisive Leadership

164. Zack Polanski: Do The Greens Have What It Takes?

163. Prison Reform, Masculinity, and Restorative Justice (James Graham and Jacob Dunne)

162. Gareth Southgate: Patriotism, Leadership, and How To Inspire Young Men

161. Putin, Trump, and 500 Years of Resisting Russia (Radek Sikorski)

160. Michael Gove: Education, Brexit, and Trump (Part 2)

159. Michael Gove: My Journey From Left to Right (Part 1)

158. Baroness Hale: The Supreme Court, Boris Johnson, and the ECHR

157. Ukraine, Diplomacy, and the Future of Europe (Dmytro Kuleba)

156. Defence Secretary, John Healey: Is Britain Ready For War?

155. Mike Pompeo On Russia, Trump, and China

154. Maro Itoje: Inequality, Identity, and Hope

153. The Man Who Invented The World Wide Web (Tim Berners-Lee)

152. "A War on Children": A Generation in Gaza at Risk (James Elder)

151. Prime Minister of Norway: On Trump, Tech, and Brexit Lessons (Jonas Gahr Støre)

150. Nicola Sturgeon: What Really Happened In The Scottish Referendum (Part 2)

149. Nicola Sturgeon: On Margaret Thatcher, Alex Salmond, and the Push for Independence (Part 1)

148. The President of Guyana: The Fastest Growing Economy in the World (Irfaan Ali)

Popular Podcasts

167. Faith, Depression, and Finding Calm in the Chaos (Professor Mark Williams)

166. John Swinney: Identity, Independence, and The Future of Scotland