Podcasts · News · Government

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

Goalhanger

216 episodes

The Rest Is Politics’ Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart interview politicians, leaders, intellectuals, and more.

More about the show

From inside and outside of politics, guests join Rory and Alastair to discuss life, leadership, and the philosophy that’s led them to success in their chosen field. Their conversations cover key political events, global affairs, and the big ideas shaping the world today, offering listeners in-depth perspectives from those at the heart of change.

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.

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

Episodes page 2 of 5

  1. 163. Prison Reform, Masculinity, and Restorative Justice (James Graham and Jacob Dunne)

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 163

    Jacob Dunne killed someone as a teenager, how did he seek forgiveness from his victim’s parents? What is restorative justice? How did Jacob’s experience of the criminal justice system compel him to become a campaigner…

  2. 162. Gareth Southgate: Patriotism, Leadership, and How To Inspire Young Men

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 162

    What invaluable life-lessons did Gareth Southgate learn by missing a high profile penalty in the Euro 96 semi-finals? Does the former England manager see a future for himself in politics? How should we teach resilience…

  3. 161. Putin, Trump, and 500 Years of Resisting Russia (Radek Sikorski)

    · 58 min · Episode 161

    What was it like for Radek Sikorski to be a refugee in the UK from communist Poland in the 80s? How will the war in Ukraine come to an end? Why is populism on the rise in Europe and how do we fight it? Rory and…

  4. 160. Michael Gove: Education, Brexit, and Trump (Part 2)

    · 1 h 11 min · Episode 160

    What is Michael Gove's lasting legacy on education in the UK? Would he have come to his position on Brexit if it weren't for Dominic Cummings? Is Nigel Farage's Reform a better chance for the UK than Labour? Rory and…

  5. 159. Michael Gove: My Journey From Left to Right (Part 1)

    · 56 min · Episode 159

    How did Michael Gove go from campaigning for Labour leader Michael Foot in 1983 to becoming a Conservative MP? What is the impact that Rupert Murdoch has had on public life? What do Michael and Rory disagree about when…

  6. 158. Baroness Hale: The Supreme Court, Boris Johnson, and the ECHR

    · 1 h 08 min · Episode 158

    How did it feel to take on then Prime Minister Boris Johnson when Baroness Hale ruled his suspension of Parliament "unlawful"? Why does the Trump administration present such a threat to the international rule of law?…

  7. 157. Ukraine, Diplomacy, and the Future of Europe (Dmytro Kuleba)

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 157

    What is the current position of Ukraine in the Ukraine-Russia war? How delicate is diplomacy with Europe and with the US for the Ukrainian government? What are the differences between working with world leaders such as…

  8. 156. Defence Secretary, John Healey: Is Britain Ready For War?

    · 1 h 15 min · Episode 156

    What tactic did Donald Trump steal from Gordon Brown? What can we learn from when Labour beat UKIP in the 2012 Rotherham by-election when it comes to taking on Farage? As a New Labour alumnus, why does John Healey…

  9. 155. Mike Pompeo On Russia, Trump, and China

    · 50 min · Episode 155

    Why does the former Secretary of State think the US is going too soft on Russia and China? What was it like working closely with President Trump? Why did Putin invade Europe under Obama and Biden, but not Trump?…

  10. 154. Maro Itoje: Inequality, Identity, and Hope

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 154

    How do we tackle global poverty and fight for change? What qualities are needed in a leadership role? Is the Labour government delivering on the issue of inequality in the UK? Rory and Alastair are joined by captain…

  11. 153. The Man Who Invented The World Wide Web (Tim Berners-Lee)

    · 1 h 00 min · Episode 153

    Tim Berners-Lee could be one of the richest men on the planet, why did he forfeit such large profits to make the World Wide Web a free and open space? How do we reclaim the internet from social media companies taking…

  12. 152. "A War on Children": A Generation in Gaza at Risk (James Elder)

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 152

    Why is the humanitarian situation in Gaza the worst that James Elder has ever seen? What does the process of rebuilding Gaza look like? How do the people working on the ground not lose hope? UNICEF spokesperson James…

  13. 151. Prime Minister of Norway: On Trump, Tech, and Brexit Lessons (Jonas Gahr Støre)

    · 59 min · Episode 151

    Why is the nation with the world’s richest sovereign wealth fund not ‘universally happy’? What can the UK learn from Norway’s relationship with the EU? Is Jonas Gahr Støre really standing between Trump and a Nobel…

  14. 150. Nicola Sturgeon: What Really Happened In The Scottish Referendum (Part 2)

    · 1 h 08 min · Episode 150

    How did the media and Westminster impact the Scottish Referendum? Why are spin rooms "utterly pointless" in Nicola's view? Is misogyny in politics as bad as it used to be, or getting worse due to social media? Rory…

  15. 149. Nicola Sturgeon: On Margaret Thatcher, Alex Salmond, and the Push for Independence (Part 1)

    · 47 min · Episode 149

    What is the difference between class distinctions in Scotland and the rest of the UK? How did Nicola Sturgeon's childhood in Scotland inform her politics? What was Margaret Thatcher's influence on Nicola's career?…

  16. 148. The President of Guyana: The Fastest Growing Economy in the World (Irfaan Ali)

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 148

    How does Guyana balance its unprecedented economic growth, largely due to oil discoveries, with environmental sustainability? How does Guyana perceive and address the historical scar left by slavery? What has happened…

  17. 147. I Thought It Was a Prank - Then I Was Chancellor: Jeremy Hunt (Part 2)

    · 53 min · Episode 147

    What was it like to be handed the reins to the economy following the Liz Truss mini-budget collapse? How did Jeremy Hunt feel fighting an election that he knew the Conservatives would lose? How would Thatcher have…

  18. 146. The Rise and Fall of The Conservative Party: Jeremy Hunt (Part 1)

    · 51 min · Episode 146

    How did Jeremy Hunt lose the Conservative leadership race to Boris Johnson? What does the longest serving Health Minister think will fix the NHS? What does Jeremy Hunt really think of Kemi Badenoch’s leadership?…

  19. 145. Gary Stevenson: Masculinity, Money, and the Myth of Meritocracy (Part 2)

    · 47 min · Episode 145

    How did Gary become a multimillionaire by the age of 25? How big a difference can a wealth tax make on regular people's lives? Have centrist politics failed on the economy? Rory and Alastair are joined by author of…

  20. 144. Gary Stevenson: From Teenage Drug Dealer to Millionaire Trader (Part 1)

    · 36 min · Episode 144

    How did Gary Stevenson go from being expelled for drug dealing, to one of the most successful traders in London? How does class and privilege play into the world of finance in the UK? What could men do differently to…

  21. 143. Iraq, Trump, and America’s Slide to Authoritarianism (Congressman Seth Moulton)

    · 1 h 05 min · Episode 143

    How did Congressman Moulton keep fighting the Iraq war when he thought it was a mistake? Is there anyone who can stop Trump, or is he an absolute monarch? Have substandard politicians used military service as a…

  22. 142. The Truth About Net Zero's Credibility (Emma Pinchbeck)

    · 1 h 06 min · Episode 142

    Why are the British paying more for energy than anywhere else in Europe? How does society navigate the anxiety of having children during the climate crisis? What does the UK government need to do in order to speed up…

  23. 141. The President of Cyprus: Iran, Israel, and the Cyprus Issue (Nikos Christodoulides)

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 141

    What role does Cyprus play in the Middle East conflicts? How can Europe and the United Kingdom strengthen their relations during this tumultuous time? How can governments fight corruption? Rory and Alastair are joined…

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

    · 1 h 08 min · Episode 140

    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?…

  25. 139. Speaker Kevin McCarthy: In Defence of Donald J. Trump

    · 1 h 11 min · Episode 139

    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…

  26. 138. The Anxious Generation: How Silicon Valley Has Rewired Our Brains (Jonathan Haidt)

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 138

    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…

  27. 137. Jacinda Ardern: Why I Stepped Down as Prime Minister of New Zealand

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 137

    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…

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

    · 53 min · Episode 136

    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…

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

    · 55 min · Episode 135

    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…

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

    · 58 min · Episode 134

    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…

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

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 133

    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? TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is…

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

    · 1 h 07 min · Episode 132

    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: Become a member…

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

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 131

    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…

  34. 130. The Prime Minister of Australia: Trump, China, and Social Media (Anthony Albanese)

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 130

    What is the impact of Trump and China on the Australian election on 3rd May? How has the Australian government taken on social media companies to protect young users? How did Prime Minister Anthony Albanese track down…

  35. 129. Trump’s America: Fear, Polarisation, and The Future (Ezra Klein)

    · 1 h 11 min · Episode 129

    How does a society defined by liberty and revolution become so easy to censor? Is polarisation something that has been done to us as an active political strategy or did we do this to ourselves? How did the Silicon…

  36. 128. Whips, Chaos, and secrets from Westminster (Simon Hart)

    · 1 h 02 min · Episode 128

    Why do the wrong people become MPs? How can we transform Westminster into a modern day workplace? How did Simon Hart’s time at The Countryside Alliance inform his politics? Rory and Alastair are joined by the ex-Tory…

  37. 127. Donald Trump vs American Freedom: Who Wins? (Moises Naim)

    · 47 min · Episode 127

    Is this the end of democracy in the USA? Following the election of Trump, could democracy in America die? How did Moises Naim come up with his three p’s; Populism, Polarisation, and Post-truth? Alastair and Rory are…

  38. 126. Israel, Gaza, and the United Nations (Francesca Albanese)

    · 1 h 04 min · Episode 126

    What role does the UN play in the Occupied Palestinian territories? What is the responsibility of Western media when it comes to covering issues surrounding Israel and Palestine? How did Francesca Albanese’s Southern…

  39. 125. Peter Kyle: AI, grief, and the power of Elon Musk

    · 1 h 11 min

    5 consecutive UK Prime Ministers have declared that the UK will become an AI Superpower, why is Keir Starmer any different? Why does no one have ‘big ideas’ anymore? And, how did Peter Kyle’s experience of grief shape…

  40. 124. The Man Who Got To Trump (Michael Wolff)

    · 53 min · Episode 124

    How did Michael Wolff manage to penetrate and expose Trump’s inner circle multiple times? Will the Murdoch empire survive the death of its Patriarch? Who’s really in charge in the White House? Rory and Alastair are…

  41. 123. Canada Decides: Who will be the next Prime Minister? (Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney)

    · 2 h 04 min · Episode 123

    Why do both former Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, and former Canadian deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland, think they’re best placed to lead Canada? How will either take on Conservative leader Pierre…

  42. 122. How Europe can survive Trump (Frans Timmermans)

    · 59 min · Episode 122

    Are Trump and Putin carving up the world? How should the EU adapt to this new world? What imagination is needed on the political left? TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast,…

  43. 121. Yulia Navalnaya: The Woman Who Could Bring Down Putin

    · 55 min · Episode 121

    Why did Yulia’s husband, Alexei Navalny, return to Russia, knowing he’d be imprisoned? Is there any credible opposition to Putin left? What does the West get wrong about Putin’s Russia? TRIP Plus: Become a member of…

  44. 120. The New President of Syria: Trump, Palestine, and having a $10 million bounty on your head (Ahmed al-Sharaa)

    · 1 h 08 min · Episode 120

    How did Ahmed al-Sharaa go from an imprisoned al-Qaeda fighter to the leader of Syria? What is the psychological impact of living a secret life for over twenty years? What is the future of Syria? Ahmed al-Sharaa joins…

  45. 119. Tommy Vietor: How Democrats can fight Trump

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 119

    How did Barack Obama become President? What was Hillary Clinton's huge mistake in 2016? How corrupt really is American politics today? Pod Save America host and former Barack Obama speechwriter, Tommy Veitor, joins…

  46. 118. Ex-Head of Mossad: Hamas, Ceasefire, and Netanyahu (Uzi Arad)

    · 1 h 21 min · Episode 118

    What’s the relationship between intelligence agencies and the politicians they serve? How does Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu react in a crisis? How confident should we be that the ceasefire will last?…

  47. 117. Is the UN fit for purpose? (Tom Fletcher)

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 117

    As the US retreats from the international stage, who is going to fill the gap? What will the ‘peace processes of the future’ look like? Who has more power, the tech giants or political leaders? Rory and Alastair are…

  48. 116. Is AI the answer to human suffering? (James Manyika)

    · 1 h 07 min · Episode 116

    How can AI help solve global problems such as poverty, hunger, and disease? Is there a hidden dark side to this new technology? What is in store for the future of artificial intelligence? Rory and Alastair are joined…

  49. 115. Ben Wallace: Britain's mistake in Ukraine, Trump vs. NATO, and visiting Iran with Jeremy Corbyn

    · 1 h 31 min · Episode 115

    Why do some soldiers make bad politicians? What's the West doing wrong in terms of its policy towards the Ukraine War? How can Keir Starmer turn around the public perception of his Labour government? On today's…

  50. 114. The future of Wales (Eluned Morgan)

    · 50 min · Episode 114

    How did Morgan’s upbringing as the daughter of a priest set her off on a path to become Welsh First Minister? What does a former member of the European Parliament think happened with Brexit? How has the devolved…

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.