The Rest Is Politics

Latest Episodes:

Who Funds Reform? The Missing Millions May 28, 2026

Show notes

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 explanation? As Farage inches toward power, who's really pulling the strings?

This four part series, made in collaboration with The Observer’s Slow Newscast will explore the money, donors and power networks behind Reform UK.

To hear all four episodes as they drop, sign up at therestispolitics.com

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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Reporter: Cat Neilan

Series Reporter/Producer: Poppy Bullard

Producer: Matt Russell

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Producer for Goalhanger: India Dunkley

Executive Producer for Goalhanger: Tom Whiter

Executive Producer for the Observer: Jasper Corbett

Clips: Reform UK, BBC, The Times, House of Commons

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537. Indicting Trump, Israeli Prisons, and Rory vs. Ed Miliband May 27, 2026

Show notes

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 with Reform UK – and what is Rory’s issue with Ed Miliband’s approach to net zero? Who is the most evil person Rory and Alastair have ever shaken hands with?

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

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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.

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Vasco Andrade

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Emily Kent Smith

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536. Is Trump’s Corruption Machine Reaching New Extremes? May 26, 2026

Show notes

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 against it? Why do 72% of Gen Z think things will only get worse, and can mainstream politics win them back?

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

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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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Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Josh Smith, Bruno Di Castri

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Emily Kent Smith

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Struggling or Snowflakes? The Gen Z Mental Health Story May 21, 2026

Show notes

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 are they a product of a society that has failed them? Has therapy culture gone too far? Or not far enough? Why are so many young people out of work? Is it laziness? Is something deeper at play?

This week in The Gen Z Story, Vicky Spratt is joined by three guests: psychologist and expert in adolescent mental health, Dr Lucy Foulkes, Shuab Gamote, researcher and co-author of “Inside the Mind of a 16-year-old” and "Inside the Mind of a Young NEET" and Freya India, the author behind the book “Girls, The Commodification of Everything”.

To hear the whole Gen Z series, sign up at therestispolitics.com

Get TRIP Plus for £20 for the year by using your student email address.

Instagram: ⁠@restispolitics⁠

Twitter: ⁠@restispolitics⁠

Email: ⁠therestispolitics@goalhanger.com⁠

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Hosted by: Vicky Spratt

Producer: India Dunkley

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Josh Smith

Researcher: Olivia Taylor Hooper

Exec Producer: Tom Whiter

Editorial Director: Emily Kent Smith

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535. The Ebola Outbreak and the British Far-Right’s Next Move May 20, 2026

Show notes

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 Tommy Robinson explicitly telling his supporters to support Reform UK, the Conservative Party, and other right-wing parties ahead of 2029, is this a deliberate strategy to infiltrate mainstream politics and normalise far-right extremism?

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

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The National Survey: To have your say on the country you want to see, just head to thenationalconversation.org.uk.

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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Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Vasco Andrade

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Chris Sawyer

General Manager: Tom Whiter

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534. Is Wes Streeting Trying to Sabotage Andy Burnham? May 19, 2026

Show notes

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 Labour to finally confront reality? Does Hungary's new leader Magyar offer a playbook for defeating Reform UK – by exposing Farage's wealth, mysterious funding sources, and corruption? Is Gary Stevenson correct to say the centre-left is relying on outdated tactics, while right-wing movements gain ground through social media fluency and opaque international funding networks?

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

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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.

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

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Chris Sawyer

General Manager: Tom Whiter

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533. Andy Burnham's Big Gamble: Can He Beat Reform? May 14, 2026

Show notes

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 against the ‘King of the North’, Andy Burnham, and how bruising would a leadership contest be for the government? How risky is this for Burnham, and can he beat Reform in Greater Manchester?

Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this emergency episode.

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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: Vasco Andrade

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Emily Kent Smith

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532. The Trump-Xi Showdown and Putin’s Conscription Con May 13, 2026

Show notes

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 deepen global disorder? Will Trump sacrifice Taiwan's security to gain concessions from Xi on Iran? With Russia losing 30,000 troops per month and Putin resorting to deceiving African workers into combat, are his war efforts finally collapsing?

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

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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 ⁠https://fuseenergy.com/politics⁠ and get a free TRIP+ subscription.

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.Get more from your business accounts. Search Lloyds Business Accounts.

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Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Charlie Rodwell, Bruno Di Castri

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Chris Sawyer

General Manager: Tom Whiter

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531. Starmer on the Brink: What Next? May 12, 2026

Show notes

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, are Labour MPs unleashing a chaos they cannot control? As Wales and Scotland shift dramatically towards Plaid Cymru, the Scottish National Party, and Reform UK – are we witnessing the end of both Labour and the Conservatives as national parties?

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

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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.

Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations. Get more from your business accounts. Search Lloyds Business Accounts.
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: Vasco Andrade

Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne

Producer: Evan Green

Exec Producer: Chris Sawyer

General Manager: Tom Whiter

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

Enraged or Engaged? Angela Rayner on The Gen Z Story May 11, 2026

Show notes

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 thoughts on the success of The Green Party, the allure of characters like Gary Stevenson and Zack Polanski, the hopelessness of young people, the danger of binary politics and short-term thinking, as well as her push for the government to reconnect with Gen Z and empower leaders of the future.

She also listens and responds directly to some of your experiences sent to us via voice note.

To hear episode one and two of the Gen Z Story, sign up at ⁠therestispolitics.com ⁠and if you're a student, sign up with your student email address to get a year of TRIP Plus for just £20.

For analysis on this interview and more insights into the Gen Z Story series, sign up to our free newsletter.

Instagram: ⁠@restispolitics⁠

Twitter: ⁠@restispolitics⁠

Email: ⁠therestispolitics@goalhanger.com⁠

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Hosted by: Vicky Spratt

Producer: India Dunkley

Social Producer: Celine Charles

Video Editor: Josh Smith, Lorcan Moullier

Researcher: Olivia Taylor Hooper

Exec Producer: Tom Whiter

Editorial Director: Emily Kent Smith