The Rest Is Politics

The Rest Is Politics

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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 (50)

The Rest Is Politics

442. Question Time: Trump's Plot To Cancel The Midterms

August 27, 2025 39m Episode 442
Is Trump edging the U.S. toward military rule? Can Gaza survive famine amid total collapse? Will Ukraine resist Putin if Western backing falters?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these...
The Rest Is Politics

441. The Reality of Farage’s Mass Deportation Fantasy

August 26, 2025 45m Episode 441
Is Farage imitating Trump with his desire to deport 600,000 migrants from the UK? How is the media whipping up a toxic debate on immigration? Why is Labour still trying to ape Reform, rather than...
The Rest Is Politics

440. Question Time: How To Start A Centrist Party

August 20, 2025 36m Episode 440
Why do the Lib Dems still fly under the radar? Is Trump quietly setting the stage for an authoritarian takeover? And, why does Alastair swear so much?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all...
The Rest Is Politics

439. The Pro-Putin President: Are Zelensky and Europe sleepwalking into disaster?

August 19, 2025 50m Episode 439
Is appeasing Trump and Putin a recipe for disaster in Europe , or simply a pragmatic approach? Why was JD Vance so silent in Zelensky's second White House visit? With mass protests on the streets of...
The Rest Is Politics

438. Inside the Trump-Putin Summit: What Really Happened in Alaska?

August 16, 2025 50m Episode 438
What does 'no deal' mean for Ukraine and Europe? What was agreed behind closed doors? How will Zelensky respond?

Join Rory and Alastair as they unpack Trump and Putin's historic meeting in Alaska,...
The Rest Is Politics

437. Question Time: Farage vs Corbyn: The UK's Next Prime Minister?

August 13, 2025 51m Episode 437
Is Starmer too afraid to take on Farage? What does Germany’s turn away from Israel signal? And, how much should kids know about geopolitics? 

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these...
The Rest Is Politics

436. Is Trump Gifting Ukraine to Putin?

August 12, 2025 50m Episode 436
Have Zelensky and Europe lost all leverage over Trump and Putin? What’s behind Vance’s ‘odd relationship’ with UK foreign secretary David Lammy? Why does Rory think Starmer’s terrorist proscription of...
The Gun Lobby Responsible for Trump: Journey Through Time

The Gun Lobby Responsible for Trump: Journey Through Time

August 10, 2025 16m
Alastair is joined by historian and co-host of Goalhanger’s Journey Through Time, Sarah Churchwell, to discuss their new series on the History of The National Rifle Association. 

How did The...
The Rest Is Politics

435. Question Time: The Migrant Return Plan, Colombia’s Drug Cartels, and Will Rory Join Corbyn’s New Party?

August 06, 2025 42m Episode 435
Can Starmer’s deal with Macron really fix the Channel crisis? Is Colombia’s fragile peace falling apart amid a booming drug trade? And, could AI replace mental health support lines? 

Join Rory and...
The Rest Is Politics

434. Why the West is Finally Recognising Palestine

August 05, 2025 57m Episode 434
Why are the UK, France and Canada finally recognising a Palestinian state? Why is Trump punishing Brazil, India, and Switzerland with tariffs? Should Starmer’s Labour be less cautious and more...
The Rest Is Politics

433. Question Time: Epstein’s Inner Circle, Ukraine’s Zelensky Backlash, and Destroying the Addiction Economy

July 30, 2025 38m Episode 433
Can Zelensky survive a war abroad while fighting enemies at home? What does Epstein’s circle reveal about power, secrets and how justice really works? And, is addiction a personal failure or a rigged...
The Rest Is Politics

432. Trump, Starmer, and Gaza: Is The Tide Turning Against Israel?

July 30, 2025 1h 2m Episode 432
Will the West turn the tide on Gaza or is it too little, too late? What are the pictures Netanyahu doesn't want Trump to see? Are Israel's aid drops purely performative?

Join Rory and Alastair as...
The Rest Is Politics

431. Question Time: Netanyahu’s Survival, Deadly Clashes in Syria, and Japan’s "Deep State"

July 23, 2025 52m Episode 431
Is Netanyahu escalating conflict to distract from scandal? How is toxic masculinity taking hold among young men? Is Japan’s youth driving a new wave of nationalism?

Join Rory and Alastair as they...
The Rest Is Politics

430. Murdoch, Epstein, and AI Billionaires: Is Trump Losing Control?

July 22, 2025 56m Episode 430
What did Alastair make of Jeffrey Epstein when he met him? Just how dangerous is AI in an unregulated world of tech bro billionaires? Why do Rory and Alastair disagree on votes for 16...
The Real JD Vance: How Trump Ditched Ideology (Part 5)

The Real JD Vance: How Trump Ditched Ideology (Part 5)

July 17, 2025 43m S1E5
Does Trump already see himself as America’s king? Have he and Vance swapped ideology for a medieval approach to politics? Will reality finally catch up with the MAGA coalition?

Join Rory and...
The Rest Is Politics

429. Question Time: Gaza, Genocide, and Global Hypocrisy

July 16, 2025 54m Episode 429
Has the West lost its moral voice on Gaza? Can Britain and France rebuild trust on migration after Brexit? And, where are today’s Bob Geldofs — and why won’t they speak up?

Join Rory and Alastair...
The Rest Is Politics

428. Rory vs. Alastair: Are we spending too much on defence?

July 15, 2025 1h 7m Episode 428
Is Starmer falling into Trump's defence spending trap? What's the bigger threat to the European democracies: Putin or populism? Why has a Labour-affiliated union suspended Angela Rayner, a trade...
The Rest Is Politics

427. The Real JD Vance: Heir to the MAGA Throne (Part 4)

July 11, 2025 13m Episode 427
Is JD Vance Trump's most dangerous heir? Would a JD Vance presidency be even more dangerous than Trump 2.0? How historically unusual is it for a Vice President to be so prominent in an...
The Rest Is Politics

426. Corbyn's Comeback, Musk's New Party and The Broken SEND System

July 09, 2025 47m Episode 426
Is Corbyn’s new party a bold move — or a boost for the Tories? Can Labour fix SEND — or are vulnerable kids being left behind? Is Bosnia ready for the EU — or is Europe looking away again?

Join...
The Rest Is Politics

425. Israel, Gaza, and the Definition of Genocide

July 08, 2025 52m Episode 425
Is the Israeli government creating a prison camp for Palestinians in Rafah? Why did the BBC drop its documentary investigating Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system? How is Trump still...
The Rest Is Politics

424. The Real JD Vance: From Never Trumper to Vice President (Part 3)

July 03, 2025 12m Episode 424
How do you go from calling Donald Trump “Hitler” to becoming his most loyal ally? Why did JD Vance abandon the thoughtful, Christian conservative image that made him famous? And what does his...
The Rest Is Politics

423. Question Time: Glastonbury’s Israel fallout, New York’s socialist mayor and why NATO called Trump ‘daddy’

July 02, 2025 45m Episode 423
Has ‘impartiality’ become a cover for moral failure in Palestine? Why does Trump want a Nobel peace price? And, why is the head of NATO calling Trump "daddy"?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer...
The Rest Is Politics

422. Things Can Only Get Better? Starmer's Stormy First Year

July 01, 2025 56m Episode 422
What have the Labour government achieved since the general election one year ago? What are the hardest challenges Keir Starmer must face? How has Donald Trump monetised the Presidency of the United...
The Rest Is Politics

421. The Real JD Vance: The Power Behind The Man (Part 2)

June 27, 2025 13m Episode 421
What do we know about the billionaire tech bros backing Vance who hate democracy? Is Vance the political face of a revolution for the super rich? Is he a voice for the Rust Belt, or an avatar for...
The Rest Is Politics

420. Question Time: The History of Iran vs. the West

June 25, 2025 51m Episode 420
How much do you really know about the geopolitics of Iran and the Middle East? Have British MPs made a mistake with the Assisted Dying Bill? What does the King say when he meets politicians?

Join...
The Rest Is Politics

419. What next for Trump, Israel, and Iran? | Peace vs. Regime Change

June 24, 2025 59m Episode 419
Has Trump really helped agree peace between Israel and Iran, and how long will it last? Were last night's strikes from Iran on a US base merely performative? How real is the chance of Supreme Leader...
The Rest Is Politics

418. Trump Bombs Iran: What Happens Now?

June 22, 2025 46m Episode 418
Why has the US entered the Israel-Iran war? Is this the beginning of a wider war? What does this all mean for the world?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more.

The...
The Rest Is Politics

417. The Real JD Vance: America’s Next President? (Part 1)

June 19, 2025 16m Episode 417
Will JD Vance be America's next president, or its first king? What explains his journey from vehement never-Trumper to Trump’s Vice President and heir apparent? How far will he go in the pursuit of...
The Rest Is Politics

416. Question Time: What the Head of MI6 Really Does

June 18, 2025 52m Episode 416
What does the murder of politicians in Minnesota tell us about the state of American politics? What is the newly appointed Chief of MI6 going to know about the world? Is there a more divisive issue...
The Rest Is Politics

415. Iran, Israel, and Trump: War in the Middle East

June 17, 2025 51m Episode 415
Are we heading for all-out war between the US, Netanyahu and the Iranian regime? Is the West betraying international law in its support of Israel's pre-emptive strikes on Iran? Why did Starmer u-turn...
The Rest Is Politics

414. Israel vs. Iran: What Happens Next

June 13, 2025 54m Episode 414
Why has Benjamin Netanyahu's government launched an attack on the Iranian military? Is this the start of a new, larger war in the Middle East? What is Donald Trump's America's role in the conflict?...
The Rest Is Politics

413. Question Time: How to solve Britain’s immigration question

June 11, 2025 1h 1m Episode 413
Why does the BBC give Reform so much air time? Should there be a global refugee coalition? And, should we be surprised that AI might gaslight us?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these...
The Rest Is Politics

412. Is Trump Starting a Civil War? | LA Protests

June 10, 2025 57m Episode 412
Are the LA protests the perfect gift for Trump, and does pushing back just add fuel to his fire? What does Musk’s exit mean for the MAGA coalition? Why has Starmer u-turned on winter fuel payments,...
The Rest Is Politics

411. Question Time: Gaza’s Aid Blocked, Trump’s Power Tested & Dominic Cummings’ Big Mistake

June 04, 2025 40m Episode 411
What was the most significant event of geopolitics in the last 30 years? Are Dominic Cummings' comments about the "broken" Westminster model valid? And, should politicians be clued up on popular...
The Rest Is Politics

410. China, Russia, and Cyberwarfare: Is the UK preparing for the wrong war?

June 03, 2025 54m Episode 410
Is Labour exaggerating the threat from Russia and missing the real risks? Does the world beyond the West now prefer China over the US? What does Poland’s new pro-Trump president mean for Ukraine and...
The Rest Is Politics

409. Question Time: Trump's Golden Dome, Gaza's Global Outcry and Starmer's Prison Gamble

May 28, 2025 35m Episode 409
How should global leaders deal with Trump? Why have the UK, France and Canada chosen now to speak out against Israel? Are young women being taken for granted, politically?

Join Rory and Alastair as...
The Rest Is Politics

408. Broken Britain: Farage’s Plot to Outflank Labour

May 27, 2025 1h 5m Episode 408
Is Reform UK’s growing appeal a product of Farage’s populism, or Labour’s failure to articulate a gripping national story? What’s behind Trump’s South African ‘white genocide’ claim? Why can’t the UK...
The Rest Is Politics

407. Question Time: The U-turn Starmer Can’t Avoid

May 21, 2025 37m Episode 407
Just how extreme will Merz’s immigration curb get? Can the Labour Party still identify as centre-right? And should the men guilty of felling the Sycamore tree be sent to prison? 

Join Rory and...
The Rest Is Politics

406. Biden, Springsteen, and Trump: Dancing in the Dark

May 20, 2025 37m Episode 406
What does Trump’s outburst against Bruce Springsteen and Joe Biden tell us about his psychology? Why has he lifted sanctions on al-Sharaa’s Syria, and why now? Has Portugal finally lost its immunity...
The Rest Is Politics

405. Starmer's EU Deal: A New Era

May 19, 2025 31m Episode 405
Is Starmer's UK-EU deal a “win-win” reset of relations or a betrayal of Brexit red lines? Will this deal actually lower food and energy costs or boost growth? What does twelve years of European...
The Rest Is Politics

404. Question Time: How Starmer Fell Into Farage's Immigration Trap

May 14, 2025 54m Episode 404
What message is the new pope sending to Trump? To what extent are the USAID cuts killing children? And, did Rory “get it wrong” on water nationalisation? 

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all...
The Rest Is Politics

403. Trump's Gulf Billions: Saudi, Sanctions, and Ceasefires

May 13, 2025 51m Episode 403
From a $400m plane to starvation in Gaza, who will benefit from Trump’s big Gulf visit? Who really brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan? Can Zelensky and Ukraine survive on half-promises...
The Rest Is Politics

402. Question Time: India vs. Pakistan | What Happens Now?

May 07, 2025 1h 0m Episode 402
Should Labour boot Tony Blair over his attack on the government's climate policy? Why is the U.S. defending Germany’s AfD? Are Britain’s towns and cities more politically split than ever?

Join Rory...
The Rest Is Politics

401. Trump’s Corruption Machine, Israeli Settlers, and the Rise of Reform UK

May 06, 2025 1h 8m Episode 401
How has Donald Trump transformed his political power into a money-making machine, and what does it mean for American democracy? How did Israel's settler movement shift from the extremist fringes into...
The Rest Is Politics

400. Question Time: Has the US underestimated China?

April 30, 2025 41m Episode 400
What can be learnt from Poland’s fight against the far-right? Is it time for water to be nationalised? And, how has TRIP changed Alastair and Rory’s politics?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer...
The Rest Is Politics

399. Trump vs. Putin, How to Stop Farage, and Kashmir Explained

April 29, 2025 51m Episode 399
After 100 days of Trump 2.0, is he finally warming to Zelensky following their dramatic Vatican meeting? Is Reform UK’s rise really unstoppable? What’s next for India and Pakistan as the fight for...
The Rest Is Politics

398. Question Time: Trump’s Plan to Overhaul US Diplomacy

April 23, 2025 42m Episode 398
Will Harvard win its fight with Trump? What caused Zelensky’s approval ratings to hit an all-time high? Which right-wing politician would Alastair swap places with?

Join Alastair and Rory as they...
The Rest Is Politics

397. Pope Francis, the Supreme Court Gender Ruling, and Trump’s International Populist Network

April 22, 2025 56m Episode 397
What does the UK's Supreme Court ruling mean for trans rights, single-sex spaces, and the debate Labour hoped to avoid? Is Trump 2.0 helping or hindering rightwing populists around the world? What is...
The Rest Is Politics

396. Question Time: It's over for Kemi Badenoch

April 16, 2025 38m Episode 396
Why is politics still so elitist? What story is Kemi Badenoch trying to sell? And, how can Dutton escape Trump comparisons?

Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all of these questions and...
The Rest Is Politics

395. Trump, Xi, and how China outsmarted America

April 15, 2025 1h 1m Episode 395
Does Trump want to turn America into China? How come politicians - including those on the right - want to nationalise steel in the UK? Are we witnessing a seismic change in German politics?

The Rest...

About this Podcast

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Goalhanger Podcasts
Language
en
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News, Politics, Government