Episodes

Episodes

• 586. Can the Democrats Capitalise on Trump's Midterm Disaster? 2026-11-04
  Why did Trump concede defeat so quickly and pledge to work with Democrats, and what does this mean for the final two years of his presidency,…
• 585. Rory Goes to a Trump Rally and Will the Youth Protests Spread to Britain? 2026-11-03
  What has Rory uncovered on the road through JD Vance country, and how did he feel attending a Trump MAGA rally? What is driving the wave of youth…
• David Blunkett on Blindness, Adversity and Why Politicians Give Up Too Easily 2026-10-31
  To hear the full episode, and the whole series, sign up at therestispolitics.com This week, Alastair sits down with someone who – in his opinion –…
• 584. Why Is Trump Losing Voters and Will Texas Turn Blue? 2026-10-30
  Why are these US midterms so important, and what has Rory been seeing on the ground in Ohio? Could the Democrats really flip Texas, and is Trump…
• 583. Is Burnham’s Budget Too Safe and How Brazil Defied Trump 2026-10-28
  With the UK’s new Chancellor, John Healey, announcing his first budget and Kemi Badenoch asking him, “is that it?”, how will the public judge his…
• Kim Leadbeater, MP: My Sister's Murder and Why I Never Wanted To Go Into Politics 2026-10-22
  This week, we bring you one of Alastair’s favourite interviews. He’s joined by Kim Leadbeater MP, whose sister Jo Cox was murdered in 2016, and his…
• 582. Netanyahu’s Fight for Survival and the Gaza Film That Shocked Rory and Alastair 2026-10-21
  What is at stake for Israelis and Palestinians in the upcoming parliamentary elections and, if Netanyahu loses, will anything actually change given…
• 581. Trump and Putin vs. Zelensky: Is Europe Sleepwalking into Disaster? 2026-10-20
  After another devastating week for Ukraine, is Trump now firmly on Putin’s side, and how much leverage does Elon Musk have over Zelensky’s war…
• Addiction, Breakdown and Finding Persevilience: Rory Interviews Alastair 2026-10-15
  How has Alastair managed to come back from some of the darkest places in his life, overcoming a breakdown while in the public eye? Is his obsession…
• 580. How to Solve Britain’s Youth Unemployment Crisis 2026-10-14
  In Britain, we spend £25 on benefits for every £1 we spend helping young people find work. So why have successive governments failed to fix this –…
• 579. Trump’s Public Execution Order and Burnham’s Brexit Intervention 2026-10-13
  How does Marco Rubio’s Parthenon speech fit the Trump administration’s ideas on European “civilisational erasure” – and how does it depart from…
• 578. Alastair and Michael Gove Disagree Agreeably on Brexit and Israel 2026-10-07
  Will there be another EU referendum, despite Andy Burnham promising not to re-run old Brexit arguments? Will Michael Gove ever criticise Israel's…
• 577. Is Badenoch Finally Stopping Farage and Why Are French Schools on Fire? 2026-10-06
  With Reform bogged down in scandal, and Kemi Badenoch setting out her political vision at Conservative Party conference, have the Tories finally…
• 576. How Xi is Outplaying Trump and Tensions in Northern Ireland 2026-09-30
  As Trump becomes the first American president to personally welcome a visiting head of state off a plane since JFK greeted Harold Macmillan in 1962,…
• Why Nuclear War Is More Likely Than You Think (with Carlo Rovelli) 2026-09-24
  Why have we stopped talking about the risk of nuclear war when the risk is greater than ever? What is a ‘nuclear winter’ and why are nuclear…
• 574. Germany’s Political Disaster and Can the Lib Dems Fight Back? 2026-09-23
  As the far-right Alternative for Germany wins another regional election, wiping out the ruling Christian Democratic Union in former Chancellor…
• 573. Burnham and Carney vs. Trump, and the Diana Dispute 2026-09-22
  As Burnham meets Trump face-to-face for the first time at the UN General Assembly, will he adopt Mark Carney’s or Keir Starmer’s approach to dealing…
• The Greatest Threat Humans Just Can’t Stomach with Yuval Noah Harari 2026-09-17
  Episode 2 is available right now for TRIP Plus members. Sign up at therestispolitics.com What can the Aztec Empire's catastrophic failure to…
• 572. Trump’s Next Middle East Crisis and Reform’s £72m Megadonation 2026-09-16
  Is the Houthis' seizure of one of the world's most critical waterways the clearest proof yet that Trump's Iran war has become a catastrophe? With…
• 571. Rory and Alastair Challenge Ed Miliband on Israel-Palestine 2026-09-15
  Why has Ed Miliband gone further than any previous foreign secretary in announcing the occupation of the Palestinian territories as illegal and…
• "Our Generation Was Lied To": Two Gen Z MPs on Fixing Politics 2026-09-10
  To hear the full series “The Gen Z Story”, sign up at the restispolitics.com – use your student email for a discount How do you get older colleagues…
• 570. Why Trump Acts Like a Russian Asset and Miliband’s West Bank Sanctions 2026-09-09
  After Trump’s latest betrayal of Ukraine, why does he act like a Russian asset? Has John Healy already missed his moment to be a radical Chancellor,…
• 569. Farage’s Foreign Funding Scandal and Germany’s Far-Right Breakthrough 2026-09-08
  As the Alternative for Germany party secured its best ever election result in Saxony-Anhalt, is the country about to get its first far-right state…
• Becoming Burnham: The Manchester Arena Call, Westminster Plotting, and Keir vs Andy 2026-09-03
  To hear the full episode, and the whole series, sign up at therestispolitics.com How did Andy Burnham learn about the Manchester Arena bombing?…
• 568. MAGA's Plan to Make Britain Look Broken and Iceland's 'Brexit' Moment 2026-09-02
  Did Iceland's rejection of EU membership talks repeat the same mistakes as Britain's Remain campaign, and does it hand a dangerous propaganda win to…
• 567. Who Really Benefits from AI and Will Data Centres Decide the Midterms? 2026-09-01
  Why is the backlash against data centres becoming one of the most combustible issues in US politics? What does an AI system's attempt to cheat,…
• Becoming Burnham: People Pleasing, The Shadow Years and Losing to Jeremy Corbyn 2026-08-27
  Who are the political figures that shaped Andy Burnham? How far will the new PM go to be liked? And what impact did losing to Jeremy Corbyn's…
• 566. Carney vs. Trump and Alastair’s Advice for Burnham’s First PMQs 2026-08-26
  Why is Mark Carney choosing economic pain over a deal on tariffs with Trump? As Palestinians prepare to vote for the first time in 20 years, why has…
• 565. Zelenskyy’s Corruption Problem and Is History Repeating Itself in Germany? 2026-08-25
  Why did Andy Burnham choose Kyiv, not Washington or Brussels, for his first foreign trip as Prime Minister? Is the tide at home turning against…
• Becoming Burnham: Thatcher, Hillsborough, and the Anger that Shaped Him | Part 1 2026-08-20
  To hear the full episode and the series as it drops, sign up up at therestispolitics.com Alastair is joined by Andy Burnham’s closest confidant,…
• 564. Burnham’s Media Machine and West Bank Settler Impunity 2026-08-19
  Is Burnham’s Britain’s first ‘TikTok Prime Minister’ and what does that mean for accountability, old-fashioned journalism, and the Westminster…
• 563. Britain’s Afghanistan Shame and the Jason Arday Tragedy 2026-08-18
  Five years after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover, why has not a single Western government marked the anniversary of a…
• Will Climate Action Go Backwards Under Burnham? 2026-08-13
  Should Andy Burnham deliver a covid style national emergency briefing to inform the public about the climate emergency? How do we foster cross-party…
• 562. The Right’s War With Itself and Burnham’s Prisons Challenge 2026-08-12
  With Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe trading blows, is the British right tearing itself apart, and will Kemi Badenoch destroy the Conservative Party by…
• 561. How Trump’s Chaos Keeps Splintering the World Order 2026-08-11
  As a new military alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan the first sign that America's allies no longer trust its guarantees? Why are…
• The Truth About Climate Migration – It's More Complicated Than You Think 2026-08-06
  To hear the whole episode and catch up on the rest of the series, which includes a deep dive into food security, water scarcity and the suppressed…
• 560. Trump's Hamas Disarmament 'Deal' and Europe's FIFA Boycott 2026-08-05
  As Trump's Board of Peace unveils a plan to disarm Hamas, will the group now give up its weapons and what would this mean for Gaza's future? Amid an…
• 559. Who Really Benefits from the Ceuta Migration Crisis? 2026-08-04
  Why did 50,000 people risk their lives in an attempt to cross the Morocco-Spain border? What do the pictures emerging from the enclave of Ceuta…
• Data Centres vs. Drinking Water: What Matters To Us Most? 2026-07-30
  To hear the full episode, which includes an interview with global water expert, Sandra Postel, sign up at the therestispolitics.com With the…
• 558. The 'Cockroach' Uprising and Should We Stop Data Centres? 2026-07-29
  Is Modi's power finally cracking as the Cockroach Janta Party's mass protests force a minister to resign for the first time in over a decade? Does…
• 557. Can Burnham Deliver Britain's Biggest Change in Generations? 2026-07-28
  Can Andy Burnham, in a single term or less, fix problems like social care that are generations in the making? Is his new push for vocational…
• Britain's Ticking Time Bomb: The Food Security Crisis 2026-07-23
  Could the UK be facing empty supermarket shelves by 2030? Are food distribution centres sitting ducks for drone warfare? And how has Britain got to…
• 556. The US-China AI Arms Race and Badenoch vs. Rory’s Centrism 2026-07-22
  Is China quietly outsmarting the US in the AI arms race, and is Trump laying the pitch to challenge the results of the US midterms with his…
• 555. Burnham’s Cabinet Purge and the Rough Sleeping Pledge 2026-07-21
  What does Andy Burnham’s purge of Starmer loyalists from the top of government tell us about how the new British prime minister will govern the UK?…
• The Secret Security Threat The Government Don’t Want Us To Know 2026-07-16
  Why did the government suppress a report written by senior intelligence officials which named climate and nature collapse as a national security…
• 554. Burnham’s Worldview, Trump's Ceasefire Collapse, and Advising Count Binface 2026-07-15
  Can Andy Burnham's 'Makerfield test' survive contact with a world of Trump, China, and a raging Iran crisis? Why did every one of Netanyahu's…
• 553. Farage in Meltdown and The Killing of Ann Widdecombe 2026-07-14
  Has Nigel Farage finally hit his tipping point, and could Count Binface deliver the ultimate humiliation in Clacton? Why are police warning against…
• 552. Trump's Red Card Saga and Germany's Far-Right Machine 2026-07-08
  What does Trump's shocking red card intervention reveal about how he wields power? Why doesn't his corruption seem to hurt him politically, despite…
• 551. Will Farage’s Trumpian Resignation Stunt Backfire? 2026-07-07
  Is Farage's shock by-election gamble a Trumpian trick to bury the scandal over his finances? Why has the Murdoch press finally turned on Britain's…
• 550. Will Farage's Extreme Wealth Be His Downfall? 2026-07-02
  How has Farage become the highest earning MP, while still claiming to be “for the everyday Briton”? Has Farage become part of the establishment? And…
• 549. Mamdani’s Wrecking Ball and the Rise of Anti-Migrant Vigilantes 2026-07-01
  Is Zohran Mamdani becoming much more than a mayor and effectively running a shadow presidential campaign through the candidates he's backing? How…
• 548. Burnham vs. Westminster and Trump’s Next Target 2026-06-30
  Will Andy Burnham’s plan for a ‘Number 10 North’ actually work in practice? What does Rory make of Burnham’s growth strategy? Who is Donald Trump’s…
• 547. The Truth About Russian Oil, Net Zero, and North Sea Drilling 2026-06-24
  With the UK and Europe sweltering in yet another record-breaking heatwave, will we ever actually reach net zero? How close are we to a “lights out”…
• 546. Keir Starmer Resigns: What Happens Next? 2026-06-22
  What does Keir’s Starmer’s exit as Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party mean for the UK? After his thumping victory against Reform UK last…
• 545. Burnham Beats Reform: Britain’s Next Prime Minister? 2026-06-19
  Has Andy Burnham’s huge victory against Reform in Makerfield shown the Labour Party how it can beat Farage? What does this defeat mean for the…
• 544. How Trump Is Weaponising AI and Martial Arts at the White House 2026-06-17
  Has Britain become a “vassal” state, dangerously dependent on the US for our most vital national security capabilities? What does Trump’s martial…
• 543. The Disaster Britain Still Can't Escape and Trump’s Iran ‘Deal’ 2026-06-16
  What is the true cost of Brexit? How have British and European far-right politics evolved since the historic Brexit referendum, and can liberal…
• 542. Starmer Loses His Defence Secretary: What Next? 2026-06-11
  What does John Healey's shock resignation mean for Keir Starmer, whose position is already on the line ahead of Andy Burnham's crunch by-election in…
• 541. Trump’s World Cup Mess and Kushner’s Albania Deal 2026-06-10
  As the Trump administration blocks a referee from entering the US, is this the most political world cup of all time, and just how messy will it get?…
• 540. The Untold Iran Crisis, Henry Nowak, and Farage’s Politics of Rage 2026-06-09
  As Trump’s Iran disaster continues, are we facing a full-blown energy and economic crisis in the UK and beyond? Why are politicians refusing to be…
• 539. Embezzlement, the Mandelson Texts, and Hasan Piker's UK Ban 2026-06-03
  What does the SNP embezzlement case reveal about how scandal-ridden British politics is? Is the banning of prominent left-wing American commentators…
• Who Funds Reform? The Missing Millions 2026-05-28
  Who is the secretive billionaire bankrolling Reform — and what does he want? How did a brand new party raise and spend £17 million with no public…
• 537. Indicting Trump, Israeli Prisons, and Rory vs. Ed Miliband 2026-05-27
  What connects Trump’s Cuba blockade and Ben Gvir’s abuse of flotilla activists? As Richard Tice denies climate change science, will reality catch up…
• 536. Is Trump’s Corruption Machine Reaching New Extremes? 2026-05-26
  Has the scale of Donald J. Trump’s corruption become too big to prosecute? Is the US Constitution now a roadmap to tyranny instead of a protection…
• Struggling or Snowflakes? The Gen Z Mental Health Story 2026-05-21
  What's behind the rise in young people being diagnosed with mental health problems? Are members of Gen Z less resilient than older generations? Or…
• 535. The Ebola Outbreak and the British Far-Right’s Next Move 2026-05-20
  Are Xi and Putin playing Trump? How serious is the new Ebola outbreak, especially after Trump's and Britain's severe cuts to international aid? With…
• 534. Is Wes Streeting Trying to Sabotage Andy Burnham? 2026-05-19
  By re-igniting the Brexit debate, is Wes Streeting deliberately trying to sabotage Andy Burnham's chances in a Leave-voting area, or is he forcing…
• 533. Andy Burnham's Big Gamble: Can He Beat Reform? 2026-05-14
  What is Alastair’s plea to Labour politicians, after this week’s turmoil? After Wes Streeting’s resignation from the cabinet, will he still run…
• 532. The Trump-Xi Showdown and Putin’s Conscription Con 2026-05-13
  As Trump becomes the first American president to visit China in nearly a decade, will the summit bring any positive developments, or will it further…
• 531. Starmer on the Brink: What Next? 2026-05-12
  As Starmer’s cabinet begin turning against him, how long can he cling on to power? By challenging Starmer without a clear plan for what comes next,…
• Enraged or Engaged? Angela Rayner on The Gen Z Story 2026-05-11
  Former Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, joins Alastair Campbell and Vicky Spratt to discuss the Gen Z story as she sees it. Listen to hear her…
• Divided or Dependent? The Real Gen Z Story 2026-05-09
  Are the challenges faced by Gen Z unique or have we seen them before? Do workplaces need a Gen Z strategy, or is there something bigger at play?…
• 530. Is Starmer the Next Joe Biden? Rory and Alastair React to Local Elections 2026-05-08
  Will Keir Starmer survive presiding over seismic Labour losses in the local elections, and if he doesn’t who should replace him? Do historic Reform…
• 529. Antisemitism, Polarisation, and How the King Outplayed Trump 2026-05-06
  How is polarisation fuelling antisemitism, and how should religious and political leaders respond? What can politicians learn from the King’s speech…
• 528. Trump vs. Germany and Farage’s £5m ‘Gift’ 2026-05-05
  As Trump threatens to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, has European appeasement of Trump officially failed? Will historic local election losses…
• Lucky or Left Behind? The Gen Z Money Story 2026-04-30
  Is Gen Z the most informed generation in history, or the most financially trapped? Is a university degree still worth it, or have we sent too many…
• 527. Are American Tech Billionaires Threatening British Democracy? 2026-04-29
  Given Palantir’s controversial manifesto – described by some as having “techno-fascist” tendencies – why is the UK Government expanding its work…
• 526. Trump's Orwellian Maths and the King's Special Relationship Mission 2026-04-28
  Is the so-called ‘special relationship’ between America and Britain already broken, and is it even worth saving? How can the UK and Europe achieve…
• 524. Starmer’s Mandelson Mess and the Iranian Nuclear Threat 2026-04-21
  Did Starmer show a fatal lack of judgement and curiosity about Peter Mandelson’s suitability for public office? How and why did Trump destroy years…
• 523. The Starmer-Mandelson Scandal: Lying or Incompetence? 2026-04-17
  Can Starmer survive if it emerges he was previously told about Mandelson's failed vetting? Is he developing a pattern of blaming others when things…