The Rest Is Politics: Leading

Latest Episodes:

140. The Next President of France? Gabriel Attal on Macron, Le Pen, and Israel-Iran Jun 22, 2025

Show notes

Why has Macron become so unpopular? Where is the discussion of international law when it comes to the conflict between Israel and Iran? Why can’t the French and the English coordinate to stop the small boats crisis?

Alastair and Rory are joined by former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to discuss all this and more.

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell

Producer: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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139. Speaker Kevin McCarthy: In Defence of Donald J. Trump Jun 15, 2025

Show notes

What is the logic behind Trump’s “chaotic” political strategy? Are Europe and America heading for a divorce? What did it feel like to get ousted as the Speaker of the House on a global stage?

Rory and Alastair are joined by former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to discuss all this and more.

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell

Producer: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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138. The Anxious Generation: How Silicon Valley Has Rewired Our Brains (Jonathan Haidt) Jun 08, 2025

Show notes

What are the biggest lies we're being told about social media? How does unregulated social media help Trump and authoritarian regimes? How do you beat an addiction to your phone?

Jonathan Haidt joins Rory and Alastair to discuss all this and more.

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.

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Assistant Producers: Alice Horrell

Producers: Nicole Maslen

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Head of Content: Tom Whiter

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137. Jacinda Ardern: Why I Stepped Down as Prime Minister of New Zealand Jun 01, 2025

Show notes

How should New Zealand navigate their complex web of alliances as the relationship between China and the US deteriorates? Jacinda Ardern was considered a beacon of hope when she came to office in 2017, how did she navigate this pressure? To what extent is politics about personal gratification and the pursuit of power?

Alastair and Rory are joined by the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, to answer all this and more.

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Social Producer: Harry Balden

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell

Producer: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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136. Ed Miliband: Farage, Starmer and The Fight for Net Zero (Part 2) May 29, 2025

Show notes

How did Ed Miliband recover from Labour’s 2015 defeat and decide to remain in politics? Can the Energy Secretary win the argument for Net Zero against the likes of Tony Blair and Nigel Farage? Is it possible to be in politics and be a good parent?

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Social Producer: Harry Balden

Video Editor: Teo Ayodeji-Ansell

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell

Producer: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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135. Ed Miliband: Blair, Brown, and Battling his Brother (Part 1) May 25, 2025

Show notes

How did Ed Miliband’s childhood being raised by survivors of the Holocaust shape his politics? How did his role mediating between Blair and Brown earn Ed the moniker ‘Emissary from planet F***’? What was it like to take on his own brother in the Labour leadership race?

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TRIP Plus:

Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

Instagram:

@restispolitics

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Email:

restispolitics@gmail.com

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Video Editor: Adam Thornton

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell

Producer: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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134. Palestine's Most Popular Politician: Marwan Barghouti's Son on Occupation, Resistance, and Hope May 18, 2025

Show notes

Who, instead of Hamas, could represent a peaceful Palestinian leadership? Why does Marwan Barghouti remain the most popular leader in Palestine despite being in jail for over 20 years, a period during which more than 50% of the population was not yet born? How do the Occupied territories remain hopeful during the ongoing war in the region?

Rory and Alastair are joined by Marwan Barghouti's son, Arab Barghouti, to discuss all this and more.

Sign up to Revolut Business today via: https://get.revolut.com/z4lF/leading, and add money to your account to get a £200 welcome bonus. This offer’s only available until 7th July 2025 and other T&Cs apply.

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com

To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to ⁠Incogni.com/leading ⁠

Assistant Producers: Alice Horrell

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Producers: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor, Jack Davenport

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133. Trump vs. Europe: Flattery, Pushback, and Powerplays (Congressman Jim Himes) May 11, 2025

Show notes

Will Europe ever trust the US again? What is the future of the Democratic party? What does the signal chat leak tell us about the psychology of the Trump administration?

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Email:

restispolitics@gmail.com

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell

Producer: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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132. Former Head of MI6: Russia, China, and Trump (Sir Alex Younger) May 04, 2025

Show notes

What is the real job of a spy? What is the role of the UK’s intelligence community in Trump’s new world order? How does the relationship between politicians and intelligence services work?

TRIP Plus:

Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

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Email:

restispolitics@gmail.com

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell

Producer: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Head of Content: Tom Whiter

Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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131. The Global Health Crisis: USAID cuts, Trump, and the limits of AI (Atul Gawande) Apr 27, 2025

Show notes

How many people are going to die as a result of American support for USAID programs being removed? What are the limits of thinking of AI as the silver bullet for healthcare? How do we bring the doubling of the human lifespan to everyone alive without bankrupting our societies?

TRIP Plus:

Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

Instagram:

@restispolitics

Twitter:

@RestIsPolitics

Email:

restispolitics@gmail.com

Social Producer: Harry Balden

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell

Producer: Nicole Maslen

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson