251 episodes

Two men who’ve been at the heart of the political world - former Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy Alastair Campbell and cabinet minister Rory Stewart - join forces from across the political divide. The Rest Is Politics lifts the lid on the secrets of Westminster, offering an insider’s view on politics at home and abroad, while bringing back the lost art of disagreeing agreeably.

October Election Tour - buy tickets:
www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/the-rest-is-politics

Twitter:
@RestIsPolitics

Instagram:
@restispolitics

Email:
restispolitics@gmail.com

The Rest Is Politics The Rest Is Politics

    • News
    • 4.6 • 335 Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

Two men who’ve been at the heart of the political world - former Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy Alastair Campbell and cabinet minister Rory Stewart - join forces from across the political divide. The Rest Is Politics lifts the lid on the secrets of Westminster, offering an insider’s view on politics at home and abroad, while bringing back the lost art of disagreeing agreeably.

October Election Tour - buy tickets:
www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/the-rest-is-politics

Twitter:
@RestIsPolitics

Instagram:
@restispolitics

Email:
restispolitics@gmail.com

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Question Time: Should Britain nationalise its railways?

    Question Time: Should Britain nationalise its railways?

    How is Modi silencing journalists in India? What is the case for imposing a voting age limit? What does the Maldives changing relationship with China spell for the region?

    Rory and Alastair answer all these questions and more in this week's Question Time.

    TRIP Plus:
    Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes.
    Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

    TRIP ELECTION TOUR:
    To buy tickets for our October Election Tour, just head to www.therestispolitics.com

    Pre-order Alastair's new children's books: https://lnkfi.re/sJJcp0

    Instagram:
    @restispolitics
    Twitter:
    @RestIsPolitics
    Email:
    restispolitics@gmail.com

    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
    Assistant Producer: Fiona Douglas
    Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 32 min
    The Rwanda ruling, Trudeau in trouble, and The Rest Is Politics: US edition

    The Rwanda ruling, Trudeau in trouble, and The Rest Is Politics: US edition

    What is the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda? What will happen next after the US Congress approves aid for Ukraine? Is Justin Trudeau’s future as Canadian Prime Minister in danger?

    Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more on today's episode of The Rest Is Politics.

    Pre-order Alastair's new children's books: https://lnkfi.re/sJJcp0

    TRIP ELECTION TOUR:
    To buy tickets for our October Election Tour, just head to www.therestispolitics.com

    TRIP Plus:
    Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes.
    Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

    Instagram:
    @restispolitics
    Twitter:
    @RestIsPolitics
    Email:
    restispolitics@gmail.com
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 1 hr 2 min
    Question Time: Liz Truss, climate change deniers, and why print media is so polarised

    Question Time: Liz Truss, climate change deniers, and why print media is so polarised

    What actions can government take to mitigate the impact of smartphones on the mental health of children? What are the advantages and disadvantages of voting for an independent Mayor? With all eyes focused on the Middle East, what is important but flying under the radar this week?

    Rory and Alastair answer all these questions and more in this week's Question Time.

    TRIP Plus:
    Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes.
    Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

    TRIP ELECTION TOUR:
    To buy tickets for our October Election Tour, just head to www.therestispolitics.com

    Instagram:
    @restispolitics
    Twitter:
    @RestIsPolitics
    Email:
    restispolitics@gmail.com

    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
    Assistant Producer: Fiona Douglas
    Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 42 min
    Iran, Israel, and the Middle East: Stopping the slide into all-out war

    Iran, Israel, and the Middle East: Stopping the slide into all-out war

    How will Israel respond to Iran’s attack? What is Joe Biden’s long-term plan for Ukraine? What has Liz Truss' new book revealed about her short spell in Downing Street?

    Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more on today's episode of The Rest Is Politics.

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

    TRIP ELECTION TOUR:
    To buy tickets for our October Election Tour, just head to www.therestispolitics.com

    TRIP Plus:
    Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes.
    Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

    Instagram:
    @restispolitics
    Twitter:
    @RestIsPolitics
    Email:
    restispolitics@gmail.com
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 1 hr
    Question Time: The fight to be Donald Trump’s VP nominee

    Question Time: The fight to be Donald Trump’s VP nominee

    Who will Trump pick as his running mate? How much do you know about ‘Project 2025’? What’s the story behind Angela Rayner’s tax affairs?

    Join Rory and Alastair for TRIP Question Time as they answer all these questions and more.

    TRIP ELECTION TOUR:
    To buy tickets for our October Election Tour, just head to www.therestispolitics.com

    TRIP Plus:
    Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes.
    Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

    Instagram:
    @restispolitics
    Twitter:
    @RestIsPolitics
    Email:
    restispolitics@gmail.com
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 34 min
    What Britain really thinks of politics

    What Britain really thinks of politics

    Are the Tories in danger of being overtaken by Reform UK? Should polling instruct or inform political decisions? Who is the country’s least popular politician?
    Join Rory and Alastair for their first ever TRIP Polling episode, in collaboration with JL Partners, as they answer all these questions and more.

    To see the polling results in full each month, go to therestispolitics.com to become a member.

    The second half of the episode includes a deep dive on Modi and India, as well as an interview with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar.

    TRIP ELECTION TOUR:
    To buy tickets for our October Election Tour, just head to www.therestispolitics.com

    TRIP Plus:
    Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes.
    Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.

    Instagram:
    @restispolitics
    Twitter:
    @RestIsPolitics
    Email:
    restispolitics@gmail.com
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 1 hr 16 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
335 Ratings

335 Ratings

Me-ness ,

Rory, thank you

Thank you for going on Sam Harris’s podcast twice. You are an absolutely delightful and thoughtful, provoking guest. I hope you get a chance to come on there again to talk about the subjects you were hoping to get to cover a little bit of that you spoke about early on the second episode. where are you and Sam disagreed? I find it to be refreshing to hear two people willing to talk about their disagreements in such a civil way. But I’d love to hear where you two could talk about other topics that you also agree on

Hadassah Irit ,

Great Insight when the Sexism Isn’t Blinding

You’re getting a 4-star review to balance Rory’s sexism (3-stars) with Alastair’s feminism (5-stars).

The latest was Rory’s reaction to Rachel Reeves’s Mais lecture. Why does Rishi Sunak’s simplistic party conference speech with its decidedly small-bore goals get Rory’s respect while RR’s nuanced speech does not? Why, when he does such a great job of providing context on the podcast, does Rory object to RR’s contextualizing her proposals?

I had resisted complaints about the podcast’s being sexist but, starting with Rory’s comments about Elizabeth Rubin, now it seems I cannot unsee the sexism.

Why write a review? Because I really get a lot from your podcasts and am hoping that you can cure this problem. Alastair, can you do a little mentoring behind the scenes?! And Rory, please move past feeling defensive, to take this opportunity to walk 6,000 miles in a woman’s shoes.

Archibald_D ,

Be honest, Rory. No mistakes - really?

As an American, I enjoy this podcast due to my interest in international politics, as well as for the balance it provides for my own political viewpoints.

However, @Rory, don’t downplay the SOTU and Joe Biden’s lack of mistakes. Specifically, his gaffe of calling a young, aspiring American woman named Laken Riley killed by an illegal Venezuelan, Lincoln Riley. Be honest with the global listeners whether you like Biden’s opposition or not. Lincoln Riley is the football coach at USC. She should not have been murdered by the aforementioned illegal, and deserves to be spoken of properly.

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