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: Join with a FREE TRIAL at therestispolitics.com for exclusive bonus content including Rory and Alastair’s first ever miniseries, early access to episodes and live show tickets, ad free listening, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members chatroom. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.
Episodes
February 15, 2026 • 42 mins
Why did Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubio 'love bomb' Europe at the Munich Security Conference, and how did it compare to JD Vance's infamous 'enemy within' speech this time last year? Is Europe united enough in the face of Trump 2.0? Has Starmer failed to grasp the scale of the rupture posed by Trump's new world order, or is he trying to buy time?
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February 12, 2026 • 18 mins
One of the most important political issues of our time - the battle for the Arctic. Why is Russia so dominant there? Why does Trump really want Greenland? And why is Climate Change right at the heart of this?Join Alastair and author Kenneth R. Rosen in the first episode of our new members-only miniseries on the battle for geopolitical control of the icy north, the polar war.
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February 11, 2026 • 53 mins
Are Japan and China closer to conflict over Taiwan, after the landslide victory for Japan's 'Iron Lady', Sanae Takayichi? Does Trump’s crumbling American-Hispanic vote explain his extreme reaction to Bad Bunny's historic, Spanish-only Super Bowl performance? Is the Winter Olympics a sign sport is the only thing that can make us feel good right now?
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February 9, 2026 • 59 mins
As Starmer begins to lose his key aides and allies, is his departure from Number 10 now a matter of when, not if? Is the UK actually becoming ungovernable? Will the latest revelations about the level of Epstein’s global influence bring a reckoning for politics and society as a whole?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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February 8, 2026 • 15 mins
How should the government and politics as a whole respond to the latest revelations about the scale of Epstein's influence, and Mandelson's abuse of power? If Starmer goes, who and what comes next? Do the events of the last week make a Farage-led Reform government more likely?
As Starmer's top aid Morgan McSweeney resigns, Alastair shares his honest thoughts on the shattering events of the last week.
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February 4, 2026 • 48 mins
Is Trump deliberately wielding chaos as a negotiating tactic with Iran? When did it become acceptable for world leaders to openly interfere in each other's elections, as seen with Orbán's international campaign support? How vulnerable is Starmer's position heading into the Gorton and Denton by-election?
Join Rory and Alastair as they discuss all these questions and more.
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February 3, 2026 • 46 mins
What do Peter Mandelson's ties to Jefferey Epstein reveal about the influence of the rich and powerful in British politics? Why did so many prominent figures continue associating with and supporting Jefferey Epstein after his conviction in 2008? How do wealthy elites exploit political systems, and what structural reforms can protect democracies from corruption?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more...
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January 28, 2026 • 60 mins
*This episode contains content that may not be suitable for younger listeners*
What do the killings of protesters by ICE in Minnesota reveal about the state of democracy and truth in the Trump era? Is there still a viable political future for a Conservative centrist movement in British politics? Can rhetoric and political communication genuinely change the course of history?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these que...
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January 27, 2026 • 59 mins
Can the 'middle powers' escape Trump's grip and build a world beyond American and Chinese dominance? What is the 'Board of Peace' and why is Trump its chairman for life? Is Starmer’s ‘control-freakery’ shooting Labour in the foot?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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January 25, 2026 • 19 mins
Is AI a revolution, or just another slow-moving general technology? Are we mistaking hype for inevitability? And, can a technology this unreliable really reshape civilisation?
Rory Stewart and Matt Clifford are joined by award winning computer scientist, Arvind Narayanan.
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January 23, 2026 • 30 mins
Why has Trump chosen to denigrate the sacrifice of allied soldiers? Are Keir Starmer and other NATO leaders finally reaching a breaking point with the US President? And what does this mean for the future of the Western alliance at such a critical moment?
Join Alastair and Anthony Scaramucci, Trump’s former Communications Director and co-host of The Rest is Politics US, as they answer all these questions and more.
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January 22, 2026 • 46 mins
Could Trump’s continued Greenland threats spark international boycotts of the World Cup? Does Robert Jenrick’s chaotic defection to Reform strengthen or weaken the Conservatives? How stable is the ceasefire in Syria, and should it be celebrated as a major victory for Trump?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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January 21, 2026 • 23 mins
What does Trump's rambling speech to world leaders at Davos mean for Greenland? Are Europe and the UK ready to act together against Trump's threats? And what lessons does Mark Carney's approach to Trump offer on how middle powers should respond to Trump's brazen foreign policy?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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January 20, 2026 • 64 mins
Is the US now an adversary for Europe? Has Europe's appeasement strategy failed? How should NATO respond if appeasement is no longer an option?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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January 15, 2026 • 17 mins
If there is even a 1% chance that AI could destroy us, should we keep building it? Are we creating machines that will one day outthink humanity? And is the race to dominate AI accelerating us toward a future we’re unprepared to face?
This week, Yoshua Bengio joins Rory Stewart and Matt Clifford for an AI deep dive. A Turing Award–winning pioneer of deep learning, Bengio helped build the field, and is now one of its most urgent c...
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January 14, 2026 • 40 mins
Will the UK ban 'X' over explicit, nonconsensual deepfake images of women and children generated using its AI tool? What does JD Vance's outburst against the Minnesota ICE shooting victim tell us about the misinformation age? After the attacks on Rory over the weekend from The Telegraph, Spectator, and Boris Johnson in the Daily Mail, what is it about Rory that so reliably enrages the right-wing press?
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January 12, 2026 • 43 mins
Could the Iran protests finally break the Supreme Leader’s brutal reign, or will the regime's deadly crackdown contain the unrest? If the US intervenes militarily, what would a Trump-style plan for Iran look like? Why are tensions rising in Yemen between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and could their conflict reignite one of the world's worst humanitarian crises?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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January 8, 2026 • 16 mins
Who really controls AI; governments, corporations, or no one at all? Is AI becoming a new kind of global arms race? And, can we keep humans in charge of systems that move faster than we do?
Rory and Matt are joined by President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar. Tino is a former justice on the Supreme Court of California, an executive appointee to the Clinton, Obama and Biden administr...
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January 7, 2026 • 43 mins
What do Keir Starmer’s comments on 'closer alignment' with the EU single market actually mean? After the Bondi terror attack, how can a centrist government respond to national trauma without fuelling culture wars? And, according to teens, how seriously should we be taking AI?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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January 6, 2026 • 49 mins
Is Venezuela the start of something bigger? If this isn’t regime change, what does Trump actually want? And, has Trump just handed Putin a win?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.
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