Episodes

  • How would an incoming Labour government fund the NHS? How does Reeves and Starmer's relationship compare to Blair and Brown? What is the experience of being a woman in the world of banking and politics?

    Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves joins Rory and Alastair as they discuss all this and more.

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    Podcast Editor: James Hodgson
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    Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
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  • Why did Rishi Sunak snub the Prime Minister of Greece? How have Greece solved their immigration issue? How will populist ideology fare in the upcoming European elections?

    The Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, joins Alastair and Rory to discuss all these topics and more in today's Leading.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • Why did the Tory Party choose to make Liz Truss and Boris Johnson prime minister? How does it feel to be the second shortest-serving chancellor in post-war history? What was the true thinking behind the disastrous Truss-Kwarteng mini-budget?

    On today's episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined for the second and final episode of their conversation with former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng.

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    Podcast Editor: Nathan Copelin
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  • "If I were 22 now, I probably wouldn't vote Conservative" - Kwasi Kwarteng

    In the first of two episodes with the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rory and Alastair speak to Kwasi about the future of the Tory Party, New Labour's conservatism, Rishi Sunak, Rwanda, Brexit, Liz Truss, diversity in politics, the British Empire, and much, much more.

    If you'd like to hear the second episode RIGHT NOW, it's already available to members of The Rest Is Politics Plus - sign up at therestispolitics.com. If you're not a member, it will be released next Monday (20th May) on the public feed.

    Podcast Editor: Nathan Copelin
    Video Editor: Teo Ayodeji-Ansell
    Social Producer: Jess Kidson
    Assistant Producer: Fiona Douglas
    Producer: Nicole Maslen
    Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
    Head of Content: Tom Whiter
    Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

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  • How did Nancy Pelosi rise up to be the most politically powerful woman in America? What was it like to attend JFK's inauguration? What's the key secret behind fundraising in US politics?

    Rory and Alastair join Speaker Emerita, Nancy Pelosi, to answer all these questions and more.

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    Video Editor: Teo Ayodeji-Ansell
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  • How much do you know about the last serious attempt at a two state solution in the Israel-Gaza conflict? 

    On today's episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by former Israeli PM, Ehud Olmert, to discuss his time in office, the likelihood of a two state solution, and historic corruption charges.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • How much power does the Mayor of London actually have? Have we moved forward - or backwards - as a country when it comes to religion in politics? Should London take a leaf out of New York's book to boost investment in the city?

    On today's episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to discuss all this and more.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • Is net zero 2030 impossible to achieve - and is it a mistake to pursue it? Should governments be more brutal with climate investment? Are events like COP a waste of time?

    Rory and Alastair are joined by Britain’s leading energy economist, Professor Dieter Helm, to answer all these questions and more.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • What makes international conflicts turn domestic? Does Qatar play the key role in bringing peace to the Middle East? Is there a generational split in the West over Israel-Gaza?

    On today's episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by Ed Kessler, a leading thinker in interfaith relations, to answer all these questions and more.

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  • Should spies be allowed to break the law while undercover? What should the relationship between government and intelligence look like? Do we overestimate or underestimate the power and reach of Russia’s FSB and China’s intelligence service?

    On today’s special episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by Eliza Manningham-Buller and John Sawers to discuss what it’s really like to lead MI5 and MI6, respectively.

    This episode was recorded before the IS-Khorasan attack in Moscow.

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  • Can Britain remain a cultural superpower post-Brexit? How does religion and philosophy inform creativity? How can we prevent arts from being cut from curriculums?

    Rory and Alastair are joined by Britain's leading sculptor, Antony Gormley, to answer all these questions and more.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • How did peace come to the Balkans? What was it like to be a political prisoner? Is Serbia more allied with the West, or with Putin?

    Rory and Alastair are joined by the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, to discuss all this and more.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • How hard is it to be a one person party in parliament? What can the left learn from the populist right? Could electoral reform actually help Keir Starmer?

    On today's episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by the Green Party's Caroline Lucas to answer all these questions and more.

    Pre order Caroline's book, Another England, here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/another-england/caroline-lucas/2928377252441

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • What is Sajid's biggest regret from his time in politics? What barriers did he come up against in the Shamima Begum case during his time as Home Secretary? Will the NHS survive?

    Rory and Alastair are joined by Sajid Javid, former Home Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for Health, and many more cabinet positions, to answer all these questions and more in part two of this two part interview.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • How are politicians working to combat anti-muslim and antisemitic racism in the UK? How does Sajid maintain friendships across party lines? Was austerity the only option for the Conservatives following the financial crash?

    Rory and Alastair are joined by Sajid Javid, former Home Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for Health, and many more cabinet positions, to answer all these questions and more in part one of this two part interview.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • “You took me to one side and said be very, very careful of these people, these neo-cons. Because they’re going to use this to do all sorts of stuff that you shouldn’t be involved in.”

    What are the limits of foreign intervention? Do the American people still want their country to be the world’s policeman? Is Biden closer to Clinton in his outlook than to Obama?

    On today‘s episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by James Rubin, former diplomat and commentator on international affairs, as they answer all these questions and more.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • Would a second Trump presidency be far more right wing? What drives the former US president? Is he trying to do a deal with Taylor Swift?

    In this week's episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by Anthony Scaramucci, Trump's former spin doctor, where he answers all these questions and more.

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  • Why do we get stressed? What are the psychological differences between conservatives and liberals? Is free will a myth?

    Rory and Alastair are joined by scientist Dr Robert Sapolsky to answer all these questions and more in today's episode of Leading.

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  • What is the future of the independence debate in Scotland? How was it to work with Nicola Sturgeon? Have world leaders done enough to curb civilian deaths in Gaza?

    On today's episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by Scotland's First Minister and leader of the SNP, Humza Yousaf, to answer all these questions and more.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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  • What does President Biden need to do to defeat Trump? What went wrong in Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign? Did Republican figures like Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich pave the way for Trump?

    Rory and Alastair are joined by communications expert and political strategist Tucker Eskew to discuss Donald Trump's chances, what it was like working with Sarah Palin, polarisation in the United States, and much more.

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    Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
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