The Rest Is Politics

Latest Episodes:

569. Farage’s Foreign Funding Scandal and Germany’s Far-Right Breakthrough Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

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 premier since the Nazi Party, and will Chancellor Friedrich Merz survive the fallout? What does an undercover documentary on Reform's fundraising reveal about the men presenting themselves as the movement's moral and intellectual core, and has the law been broken? Is Europe now entering a new era defined by right-wing extremism?

Alastair and Rory are joined by Deputy Editor of Bild-Zeitung, Paul Ronzheimer, who has been on the ground in Saxony-Anhalt, where voters have propelled the pro-Russian, anti-EU AfD to the cusp of power.

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Be the first person to correctly guess the single word title of Alastair’s upcoming book to win a signed first printing and a personal note from Alastair HERE.

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

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Social Producer: Emma Jackson

Lead Video Editor: Josh Smith

Video Editor: Bruno Di Castri

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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Becoming Burnham: The Manchester Arena Call, Westminster Plotting, and Keir vs Andy Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

To hear the full episode, and the whole series, sign up at therestispolitics.com

How did Andy Burnham learn about the Manchester Arena bombing? Would he still have tried to become PM had Keir Starmer let him stand in the Gorton and Denton byelection? And when did tensions between Keir and Andy really begin?

Join Alastair Campbell and Steve Rotheram as they address all these questions and much more on Becoming Burnham

Producer: India Dunkley

Researcher: Miranda Crawford

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Executive Producer: Emily Kent Smith

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568. MAGA's Plan to Make Britain Look Broken and Iceland's 'Brexit' Moment Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

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 Farage, Putin, and the wider anti-European right? As Russia warns of "consequences" over British missiles built in Ukraine, is the West sleepwalking towards direct confrontation? With one in four Americans now convinced British society is broken, is Trump deliberately weaponising Britain to justify its own domestic agenda?

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

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Dan Neidle 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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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Vasco Andrade

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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567. Who Really Benefits from AI and Will Data Centres Decide the Midterms? Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

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, cover its tracks, and break into another company’s website reveal about our ability to keep these systems under control? After the catastrophic flash floods in Nepal, why does the funding for climate adaptation often fail the countries that need it most?

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

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Dan Neidle 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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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Josh Smith, James Clayden

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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Becoming Burnham: People Pleasing, The Shadow Years and Losing to Jeremy Corbyn Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

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 popularity 'tsunami' have on his career - and confidence?

Join Alastair Campbell and Steve Rotheram as they address all these questions and much more on Becoming Burnham

Producer: India Dunkley

Researcher: Miranda Crawford

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Executive Producer: Emily Kent Smith

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566. Carney vs. Trump and Alastair’s Advice for Burnham’s First PMQs Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

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 Mahmoud Abbas decided that now is finally the moment to hold elections, and will Israel block them? With Andy Burnham preparing for his first Prime Minister's Questions, what advice does Alastair have on where Kemi Badenoch is most likely to strike?

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 the President of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin, 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.

Summer sale is HERE: get an annual membership for an extra 20% off with code SUMMER26 That's ad-free listening, every bonus episode, and full access to our exclusive members' series. Sale ends August 31st, so grab it before summer's over.

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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Twitter: @restispolitics

Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Bruno Di Castri, Joe Pettit

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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565. Zelenskyy’s Corruption Problem and Is History Repeating Itself in Germany? Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

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 President Zelenskyy, and do fresh corruption scandals pose an existential threat to Ukraine’s war effort? With the AfD on course to break through in state elections for the first time, is Germany's “firewall” against the far-right about to collapse?

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

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with the President of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin, 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

Video Editor: Josh Smith, Oli Ortega

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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

Becoming Burnham: Thatcher, Hillsborough, and the Anger that Shaped Him | Part 1 Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

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, friend and former colleague, Steve Rotheram – the Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region to discuss…

Who really is Andy Burnham, and how is he going to change Britain? How have events like Hillsborough, and Thatcher’s Northern neglect shaped him? And, how does he contend with his imposter syndrome, his ‘Catholic guilt complex’, and his restless desire to be liked?

Producer: India Dunkley

Researcher: Miranda Crawford

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Executive Producer: Emily Kent Smith

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564. Burnham’s Media Machine and West Bank Settler Impunity Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Is Burnham’s Britain’s first ‘TikTok Prime Minister’ and what does that mean for accountability, old-fashioned journalism, and the Westminster lobby? Why are violent Israeli settlers able to act with impunity against Palestinians in the West Bank, and is Israel effectively annexing the territory? Should young people spend the last two weeks of their summer holidays thinking about the challenges facing the world?

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

Get involved with Politika’s Policy Ideas for Positive Change ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠. The competition is open to all 16–18 year olds in the UK, and submissions close on 20th September 2026.

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah 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.

Summer sale is HERE: Get an annual membership for an extra 20% off with code SUMMER26 That's ad-free listening, every bonus episode, and full access to our exclusive members' series. Sale ends August 31st, so grab it before summer's over.

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

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It's risk-free with Nord's 30 day money back guarantee ✅

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Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Becoming Burnham Trailer Editor: Dylan Bonham

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Bella Soames

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563. Britain’s Afghanistan Shame and the Jason Arday Tragedy Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

Five years after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover, why has not a single Western government marked the anniversary of a war that cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars? Why has Russia's last liberal anti-war party been banned ahead of next month's Duma elections, and is it a sign of Putin's strength or his weakness? What does the media frenzy that engulfed Jason Arday before his death reveal about how quickly we strip vulnerable people of their humanity?

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

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Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah 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.

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It's risk-free with Nord'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

Video Editor: Josh Smith, Vasco Andrade

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Executive Producer: Bella Soames