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30 episodes
Will Climate Action Go Backwards Under Burnham?
Aug 13, 2026 · 53 min
Should Andy Burnham deliver a covid style national emergency briefing to inform the public about the climate emergency? How do we foster cross-party consensus on the climate emergency? And, can we balance the need to build data centres and protect the environment? Join Alastair Campbell, Rory Stewart and Caroline Lucas as they discuss all of these questions and more. To watch Caroline’s four part series on climate as a national security threat, sign up at therestispolitcs.com Read the…
562. The Right’s War With Itself and Burnham’s Prisons Challenge
Ep 562 · Aug 12, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
With Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe trading blows, is the British right tearing itself apart, and will Kemi Badenoch destroy the Conservative Party by chasing Reform and Restore voters rather than the centre ground? With prisons at breaking point and reoffending rates soaring, why aren’t governments honest about the real causes of the crisis, or the solutions? As the Rhine falls to record lows and Germany's economy takes the hit, is this the clearest sign yet that the climate crisis is now an econ…
561. How Trump’s Chaos Keeps Splintering the World Order
Ep 561 · Aug 11, 2026 · 57 min
As a new military alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan the first sign that America's allies no longer trust its guarantees? Why are politicians refusing to admit how fast America is burning through its Patriot missiles in Iran? With suspected Russian drones probing Europe, is the Kremlin about to test NATO like never before? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Johnny Mercer by searching ‘Leading’ o…
The Truth About Climate Migration – It's More Complicated Than You Think
Aug 6, 2026 · 21 min
To hear the whole episode and catch up on the rest of the series, which includes a deep dive into food security, water scarcity and the suppressed national security report, sign up at therestispolitics.com Are people really migrating because of changes in the climate? Who pays when a nation is destroyed by a crisis it didn't cause? And what does it cost, financially and emotionally, to leave home for good? Join Caroline Lucas, Alex Randall and Aminath Shauna as they discuss all of these qu…
560. Trump's Hamas Disarmament 'Deal' and Europe's FIFA Boycott
Ep 560 · Aug 5, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
As Trump's Board of Peace unveils a plan to disarm Hamas, will the group now give up its weapons and what would this mean for Gaza's future? Amid an escalation of violence on the West Bank and with settlements continuing to grow, why does the US President appear not to care? In the wake of the Gianni Infantino revelations, does the head of FIFA actually hate football? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Watch Rory…
559. Who Really Benefits from the Ceuta Migration Crisis?
Ep 559 · Aug 4, 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Why did 50,000 people risk their lives in an attempt to cross the Morocco-Spain border? What do the pictures emerging from the enclave of Ceuta reveal about the bigger migration story? Why did right-wing figures across the world, from Donald Trump to Elon Musk and Giorgia Meloni, all weigh in? Alastair and Rory are joined by immigration expert Gerald Knaus as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Watch Rory and Alastair’s interview with Count Binface by searching ‘Leading’ on Spot…
Data Centres vs. Drinking Water: What Matters To Us Most?
Jul 30, 2026 · 16 min
To hear the full episode, which includes an interview with global water expert, Sandra Postel, sign up at the therestispolitics.com With the government quietly categorising data centres as ‘critical infrastructure’, could we ever be in a situation where data centre water supply is prioritised over the water that comes out of our taps? Why do we no have clear data that tells just how much water data centres use? And why are so many data centres being built in areas which are already water stresse…
558. The 'Cockroach' Uprising and Should We Stop Data Centres?
Ep 558 · Jul 29, 2026 · 58 min
Is Modi's power finally cracking as the Cockroach Janta Party's mass protests force a minister to resign for the first time in over a decade? Does the new US-Saudi uranium deal risk triggering a fresh wave of nuclear proliferation across the Middle East and beyond? If AI data centres are the foundation of future defence and security, can Britain build them without wrecking its water supplies and climate targets? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's ed…
557. Can Burnham Deliver Britain's Biggest Change in Generations?
Ep 557 · Jul 28, 2026 · 57 min
Can Andy Burnham, in a single term or less, fix problems like social care that are generations in the making? Is his new push for vocational education a long-overdue fix for Britain's broken skills system, or a betrayal of the working-class kids who have the most to gain from a rigorous academic education? As wildfires tear through France and Spain, have we already passed the climate and nature tipping point? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Ro…
Britain's Ticking Time Bomb: The Food Security Crisis
Jul 23, 2026 · 16 min
Could the UK be facing empty supermarket shelves by 2030? Are food distribution centres sitting ducks for drone warfare? And how has Britain got to a place where is has just 3 days to 3 weeks worth of food supplies? This week, Caroline Lucas sits down with food security expert, Professor Paul Behrens from the University of Oxford. To hear the full episode and the whole series as it drops, sign up here or at therestispolitics.com Please continue to send in your questions for Caroline, Alastair an…
556. The US-China AI Arms Race and Badenoch vs. Rory’s Centrism
Ep 556 · Jul 22, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Is China quietly outsmarting the US in the AI arms race, and is Trump laying the pitch to challenge the results of the US midterms with his repeated, unfounded claims of Chinese election meddling? Why has Zelenskyy sacked his popular defence minister just as Ukraine is winning on the battlefield? Does Kemi Badenoch’s purge of Rory-adjacent centrists from the Conservative Party show she is even more ruthless than Margaret Thatcher? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and mor…
555. Burnham’s Cabinet Purge and the Rough Sleeping Pledge
Ep 555 · Jul 21, 2026 · 57 min
What does Andy Burnham’s purge of Starmer loyalists from the top of government tell us about how the new British prime minister will govern the UK? Why did Ed Miliband drop his ten-year Energy Security and Net Zero project to become Foreign Secretary? Can Burnham end rough sleeping nationally, after struggling to do so in Manchester? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan by searchi…
The Secret Security Threat The Government Don’t Want Us To Know
Jul 16, 2026 · 19 min
Why did the government suppress a report written by senior intelligence officials which named climate and nature collapse as a national security threat? How could ecosystem collapse lead to empty super market shelves, water scarcity and increased risk of conflict? And, ultimately, why has this not become a bigger conversation among politicians? Sign up here to watch the whole episode and the rest of the series as it drops. Join Caroline Lucas, former leader of The Green Party, as she speaks with…
554. Burnham’s Worldview, Trump's Ceasefire Collapse, and Advising Count Binface
Ep 554 · Jul 15, 2026 · 59 min
Can Andy Burnham's 'Makerfield test' survive contact with a world of Trump, China, and a raging Iran crisis? Why did every one of Netanyahu's promises to Trump about the war with Iran - from destroying the ballistic missile programme to fomenting revolution - turn out to be wrong? What advice does Alastair have for Count Binface in his fight against Nigel Farage in Clacton? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjo…
553. Farage in Meltdown and The Killing of Ann Widdecombe
Ep 553 · Jul 14, 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Has Nigel Farage finally hit his tipping point, and could Count Binface deliver the ultimate humiliation in Clacton? Why are police warning against speculation over the killing of Ann Widdecombe, and is Reform trying to weaponise her death? Was Rory Stewart aware of any of this during his twelve day silent retreat? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Gabriel Zucman by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or You…
552. Trump's Red Card Saga and Germany's Far-Right Machine
Ep 552 · Jul 8, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
What does Trump's shocking red card intervention reveal about how he wields power? Why doesn't his corruption seem to hurt him politically, despite adding $2.2 billion to his wealth in a single year in office, while so many Americans struggle to get by? Is Germany's firewall against the far right about to fall – and is the billionaire owner of the Telegraph pushing it over? Join Alastair and Mehdi Hasan as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s inter…
551. Will Farage’s Trumpian Resignation Stunt Backfire?
Ep 551 · Jul 7, 2026 · 48 min
Is Farage's shock by-election gamble a Trumpian trick to bury the scandal over his finances? Why has the Murdoch press finally turned on Britain's most protected politician? Can Andy Burnham beat the media machine that swallowed Keir Starmer? Join Alastair and Mehdi Hasan as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Ben Rhodes by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world…
550. Will Farage's Extreme Wealth Be His Downfall?
Ep 550 · Jul 2, 2026 · 51 min
How has Farage become the highest earning MP, while still claiming to be “for the everyday Briton”? Has Farage become part of the establishment? And how much more is there to discover about Farage’s £5 million "gift"? Join Alastair and Cat Neilan, journalist at the Observer, as they answer all these questions and more. To hear the whole of "Who Funds Reform?", sign up here at therestispolitics.com __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Malcolm Turnbull by searching ‘Leading’ on Spot…
549. Mamdani’s Wrecking Ball and the Rise of Anti-Migrant Vigilantes
Ep 549 · Jul 1, 2026 · 45 min
Is Zohran Mamdani becoming much more than a mayor and effectively running a shadow presidential campaign through the candidates he's backing? How significant is Australia’s new centrist party and could something similar be done in the UK? Are the anti-migrant protests and vigilantes in South Africa unique to the region, or part of a global populist pattern of scapegoating migrants for the failures of politics? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edit…
548. Burnham vs. Westminster and Trump’s Next Target
Ep 548 · Jun 30, 2026 · 54 min
Will Andy Burnham’s plan for a ‘Number 10 North’ actually work in practice? What does Rory make of Burnham’s growth strategy? Who is Donald Trump’s next target in Latin America? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Malcolm Turnbull 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, analys…
547. The Truth About Russian Oil, Net Zero, and North Sea Drilling
Ep 547 · Jun 24, 2026 · 60 min
With the UK and Europe sweltering in yet another record-breaking heatwave, will we ever actually reach net zero? How close are we to a “lights out” scenario due to the Iran war, and how did we become so dependent on Russian oil? Is North Sea drilling for oil and gas a matter of national security, or an environmentally reckless fantasy? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time, with the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing,…
546. Keir Starmer Resigns: What Happens Next?
Ep 546 · Jun 22, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
What does Keir’s Starmer’s exit as Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party mean for the UK? After his thumping victory against Reform UK last week, will Andy Burnham face a contest or a coronation on his path to becoming the country’s seventh prime minister since the Brexit referendum? What challenges will Burnham face in his attempt to turn things around for Labour and last longer than his predecessors? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy R…
545. Burnham Beats Reform: Britain’s Next Prime Minister?
Ep 545 · Jun 19, 2026 · 44 min
Has Andy Burnham’s huge victory against Reform in Makerfield shown the Labour Party how it can beat Farage? What does this defeat mean for the right, and how tricky will the coming months be for Andy Burnham? What does the Tory victory against the SNP in Aberdeen mean for British energy policy? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with James Cleverly by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into…
544. How Trump Is Weaponising AI and Martial Arts at the White House
Ep 544 · Jun 17, 2026 · 49 min
Has Britain become a “vassal” state, dangerously dependent on the US for our most vital national security capabilities? What does Trump’s martial arts birthday event on the White House lawn tell us about the “banalisation” of his presidency in politics and the media? Will Alastair u-turn on his boycott of the World Cup and travel to the Americas if Scotland go far in the controversial competition? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Questi…
543. The Disaster Britain Still Can't Escape and Trump’s Iran ‘Deal’
Ep 543 · Jun 16, 2026 · 53 min
What is the true cost of Brexit? How have British and European far-right politics evolved since the historic Brexit referendum, and can liberal democracy survive it? Is it possible to see Trump’s Iran ‘deal’ as anything other than a defeat for the US? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with James Cleverly by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Father’s Day discounted gift memberships available HERE. Tr…
542. Starmer Loses His Defence Secretary: What Next?
Ep 542 · Jun 11, 2026 · 39 min
What does John Healey's shock resignation mean for Keir Starmer, whose position is already on the line ahead of Andy Burnham's crunch by-election in Makerfield? Who might replace Healey in one of the most important jobs in government, at one of the most dangerous moments in the UK's history? With NATO allies demanding higher spending on defence and Trump's America growing ever more unpredictable, can Britain afford a government at war with itself over military spending? Join Rory and Alastair as…
541. Trump’s World Cup Mess and Kushner’s Albania Deal
Ep 541 · Jun 10, 2026 · 46 min
As the Trump administration blocks a referee from entering the US, is this the most political world cup of all time, and just how messy will it get? Can the Democrats flip the Senate, and would it actually stop Trump? Is Jared Kushner turning the Balkans into his personal property portfolio? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Odd Arne Westad by searching ‘Leading’ on Spoti…
540. The Untold Iran Crisis, Henry Nowak, and Farage’s Politics of Rage
Ep 540 · Jun 9, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
As Trump’s Iran disaster continues, are we facing a full-blown energy and economic crisis in the UK and beyond? Why are politicians refusing to be honest about the real cost of the Iran crisis? What does the far-right’s response to the Henry Nowak tragedy – from JD Vance to Rupert Lowe – tell us about post-truth populism? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Odd Arne Westad by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple…
539. Embezzlement, the Mandelson Texts, and Hasan Piker's UK Ban
Ep 539 · Jun 3, 2026 · 59 min
What does the SNP embezzlement case reveal about how scandal-ridden British politics is? Is the banning of prominent left-wing American commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur a sensible decision or a serious threat to free speech? After Rory and Alastair discussed their most “evil” handshakes last week, who is the most “angelic” person they have each shaken hands with? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Go deepe…
538. The Pope’s AI Warning and Alastair Reacts to Blair’s Attack
Ep 538 · Jun 2, 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
Is Pope Leo’s encyclical the most important contribution to the AI debate so far, and is he doing more to hold Silicon Valley to account than any Western government? What did Alastair say to Tony Blair about his explosive essay attacking the direction of Starmer’s government, the Labour Party, and net zero? Why does Rory think Blair is now closer to JD Vance than to the values that defined New Labour? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into t…
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