The Rest Is Politics

Latest Episodes:

576. How Xi is Outplaying Trump and Tensions in Northern Ireland Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

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, did his summit with President Xi signal improving US-China relations, or does Xi have his counterpart in an economic chokehold? With the standoff between protesters and members of the pro-British Protestant Orange Order in Northern Ireland showing no sign of resolution, is the region's fragile peace in danger of unravelling? And as violence erupts in Ethiopia, is Africa's second most populous country on the brink of civil war – and does it risk dragging other regional actors into a wider conflict spanning the Horn of Africa and the Gulf?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time.

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Research: Evie Townend

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Josh Smith, Lorcan Moullier, Oli Ortega, Joe Pettit

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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575. Alastair Reacts to Burnham’s Speech and Rory’s Viral Stare Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

Will scrapping the triple lock be electorally perilous for Burnham, or can his vision of a national care service convince the public and his party that it’s time for pension reform? Did being Mayor of Greater Manchester make him a better orator? And what is Rory’s explanation for his viral Newsnight stare?

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

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Mustafa Suleyman by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

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Instagram: @restispolitics

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Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Research: Evie Townend

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: James Clayden, Louis Mealing

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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Why Nuclear War Is More Likely Than You Think (with Carlo Rovelli) Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

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 exchanges such extreme risks for the future of humanity? And should the UK be investing in nuclear weapons – or could this make the country more vulnerable?

Rory is joined this week by physicist and philosopher, Carlo Rovelli for the next episode in his series on Existential Risk. Catch up on episode one with Yuval Noah Harari ⁠here.⁠

To hear the whole epiosde, sign up at therestispolitics.com

Producer: India Dunkley

Researcher: Evie Townend

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Executive Producer: Isabella Soames

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574. Germany’s Political Disaster and Can the Lib Dems Fight Back? Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

As the far-right Alternative for Germany wins another regional election, wiping out the ruling Christian Democratic Union in former Chancellor Angela Merkel's own backyard, will Friedrich Merz face the same fate as Keir Starmer and lose his job? New polling shows that just 15% of people in rural communities think Labour cares about them, so how does the party deliver "growth in every postcode" to the countryside? With 70 seats in Parliament and the Tories in electoral trouble, why haven't the Liberal Democrats gained more traction in the week of their party conference?

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

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Gordon Brown by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter ⁠HERE⁠, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at ⁠therestispolitics.com⁠ to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord.

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at ⁠fuseenergy.com/politics⁠ and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Lead Video Editor: Josh Smith

Video Editors: James Clayden, Louis Mealing

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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573. Burnham and Carney vs. Trump, and the Diana Dispute Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

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 with the US President? With Carney receiving a standing ovation in the European Parliament and championing “deep cooperation” between Europe and Canada, is Britain in danger of being outflanked in its relationship with the continent? Where do Rory and Alastair stand on the allegations made by Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, about the King?

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

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Gordon Brown by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

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Instagram: @restispolitics

Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Lead Video Editor: Josh Smith

Video Editors: Caroline Kaye, Bruno Di Castri

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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The Greatest Threat Humans Just Can’t Stomach with Yuval Noah Harari Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Episode 2 is available right now for TRIP Plus members. Sign up at therestispolitics.com

What can the Aztec Empire's catastrophic failure to understand Cortés and the Spanish conquistadors teach us about the threat AI poses today? Why does Yuval Noah Harari believe our gut refuses to accept an "alien intelligence" our brains already understand to be a threat? And can Britain avoid becoming an "AI vassal state" - or has that moment already passed?

Rory is joined by Professor Yuval Noah Harari for Part 1 of their conversation on existential threats. Part 2 is available now for TRIP Plus members.

Producer: India Dunkley

Researcher: Evie Townend

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Executive Producer: Isabella Soames

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572. Trump’s Next Middle East Crisis and Reform’s £72m Megadonation Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

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 the very people building AI now calling for a pause, is real regulation finally coming, or will tech billionaires keep writing the rules themselves? And with Reform banking £72 million from two crypto billionaires, why is Britain one of the only democracies with no cap on political donations?

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

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland, by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

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Instagram: @restispolitics

Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Lead Video Editor: Josh Smith

Video Editor: James Clayden, Adam Thorton, Oli Ortega

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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571. Rory and Alastair Challenge Ed Miliband on Israel-Palestine Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Why has Ed Miliband gone further than any previous foreign secretary in announcing the occupation of the Palestinian territories as illegal and placing sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank? Can these limited sanctions really achieve their stated aim of “salvaging” the two-state solution? Will Britain now follow Mark Carney in building a new alliance of middle powers independent of the US and China?

Alastair and Rory are joined by Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, to answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time.

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland, by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

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Instagram: @restispolitics

Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Lead Video Editor: Josh Smith

Video Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Our Generation Was Lied To": Two Gen Z MPs on Fixing Politics Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

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 to take you seriously when you become an MP at 25? Has the social contract between the state and young people been irreparably broken? And how should Andy Burnham tackle the biggest challenges facing young people today — the mental health crisis, student loan debt, a lack of jobs and opportunities, and the impossibility of getting on the housing ladder?

Keir Mather and Rosie Wrighting, two Gen Z MPS, discuss all these topics and more with Vicky Spratt as part of The Gen Z Story

Producer: India Dunkley

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Executive Producer: Emily Kent Smith

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570. Why Trump Acts Like a Russian Asset and Miliband’s West Bank Sanctions Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

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, and does Ed Miliband’s move to impose economic sanctions on Israeli settlements prove he would have been the bolder choice? Is the President of Serbia a fascist?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time.

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Anthony Scaramucci by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.

Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory.

The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

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Instagram: @restispolitics

Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Emma Jackson

Lead Video Editor: Josh Smith

Video Editor: James Clayden, Oli Ortega

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames