The Rest Is Politics: Leading

What does the gap between American foreign policy rhetoric and reality reveal about the failures of its military interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Iran? In an age of algorithm-driven political polarisation, can authentic political speech still break through, or has social media made Trump-style fragmentation impossible to overcome? Is Donald Trump an anomaly in American politics, or p...

As Western nations become increasingly dependent on the US for AI, satellite infrastructure, and defence, are they sacrificing sovereignty in exchange for American security? Can middle powers such as Australia and the UK pursue genuinely independent foreign and defence policies when a Trump-led America prioritises its own interests? Is AUKUS a genuine security partnership, or is Australia bankroll...

With war fatigue growing and polls showing increasing dissatisfaction with life in Russia, is Vladimir Putin beginning to lose control? What is really happening inside Russia today? And what is it like to report the truth from inside one of the world's most repressive states? Alastair and Rory are joined by Steve Rosenberg, Russia Editor for BBC News, to answer all of these questions and more. ___...

What does James Cleverly think of Nigel Farage and Reform? How does Cleverly explain his unexpected exit from the Tory leadership race? What could the future of AI in Great Britain look like under different leadership? Sir James Cleverly joins Rory and Alastair to answer all these questions and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. __________ Instagr...

How similar is today's world to the months before the outbreak of World War I? Could Taiwan, India-China tensions, or an unforeseen crisis be the spark that sets the world ablaze? Are our leaders too consumed by domestic politics to prevent a catastrophic great power war? Alastair and Rory are joined by Historian Odd Arne Westad to discuss all these questions and more. __________ Search IG.com to...

Why is one of AI's most powerful insiders scared of what he's building? Who's really in charge of the technology reshaping our world? Is it too late for governments to regulate it? Rory and Matt Clifford are joined by Jack Clark, Co-Founder of Anthropic, to answer all these questions and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. __________ Instagram: ⁠@r...

Why does Trump understand the media better than the media understands him? Are tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos more dangerous to journalism than Rupert Murdoch ever was? What did Tina Brown see change in Trump from the '80s to now, and when did he turn "dark"? Alastair and Rory are joined by Tina Brown, author of the Substack 'Fresh Hell' and former editor-in-chief of Tatler, Vanit...

Will Rahm Emanuel run to be the next President of the United States? What were the underlying policy disagreements regarding West Bank settlements that led to Benjamin Netanyahu publicly attacking Rahm Emanuel? And, what approach would he take to handle the conflict with Iran and modernise the United States' relationships with Europe? Rory and Alastair are joined by American politician and diploma...

Could artificial intelligence hand the US or China 99% of global economic and military power? What happens when millions of autonomous weapons systems are controlled by a single commander-in-chief? Has effective altruism's influence in Silicon Valley accelerated or slowed the race for artificial general intelligence? Alastair and Rory are joined by William MacAskill to discuss all this and more. _...

Was the 2008 financial crisis as consequential as the 1929 Wall Street Crash? How did it pave the way for Trump, Brexit, and the rise of the far-right across Europe? Will the economic damage caused by Trump’s war with Iran outlast the conflict itself? Rory and Alastair are joined by Yanis Varoufakis to discuss all this and more. __________ Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your...

How does President Vučić justify Serbia's geopolitical balancing act between Russia, China, and the European Union? Why does he warn that if the EU further delays enlargement, the United States might seize the opportunity to build its own sphere of influence in Southeastern Europe? Can Serbia join the EU without recognising Kosovo's independence, and what would that mean for Europe's future? Rory...

Does the Leader of Scottish Labour regret calling for Keir Starmer to resign over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador? In the upcoming election, would he consider putting Scottish Labour into a coalition with the Reform Party to defeat the SNP? How does he plan to tackle the rise of Islamophobia and the politics of despair that are increasingly gripping Scotland and the UK? Rory an...

At a time when the United States is threatening to withdraw from NATO, how can Europe maximise its power to deter Russia's threat? If Vladimir Putin were given the territory Donald Trump offered in his peace plan, what would his next move be? Why does the White House keep misunderstanding Putin’s real war aims? Alastair Campbell is joined by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, to discuss al...

How did Naz Shah’s experience growing up in Bradford and her experience with her family in the legal system influence her to go into politics? What does it mean for a political party to truly “stand for something” in modern Britain? How can faith influence politics in a secular society? Rory and Alastair are joined by Labour MP, Naz Shah, to discuss all this and more. __________ Search IG.com to f...

How are rights for trans people in the US improving or worsening under the Republican administration? What fundamentally needs to change in Congress to improve the state of politics? Are the Democrats doing enough to win back the American public? Rory and Alastair are joined by US Congresswoman, Sarah McBride, to answer all this and more. Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your a...

Why was Ai Weiwei kidnapped and held prisoner by the Chinese government? How did the 2008 Sichuan earthquake radicalise him into taking aim at the authorities through art? What’s behind Ai Weiwei’s belief that there is a serious censorship issue in the West?  Rory and Alastair are joined by Artist and Activist, Ai Weiwei, to answer all this and more.  Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for...

Why is Prime Minister Sánchez such an outlier in challenging Trump on everything from military spending to Gaza? What’s behind Spain’s recent economic success? How is Spain tackling the rising far-right? What are Pedro Sánchez’s lessons for Keir Starmer?  Alastair and Rory are joined by Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain, to answer all this and more.  Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look...

How did President Stubb’s golfing talent lead him to fostering a close relationship with President Trump? Why was ‘Prime Minister’ the worst job ever? Why will the Global South define the new world order?  Rory and Alastair are joined by Finland’s President, Alexander Stubb, to answer all this and more.  Search IG.com to find out more and/or Look for IG in your app store. Join The Rest Is Politics...

What happened on a ridiculous midnight phone call between Donald Trump and the Governor of California? Why does Gavin Newsom believe the President will be crushed in the mid-terms? What is Newsom’s tactic for trolling Trump? Will Newsom run for president in 2028?  Alastair and Rory are joined by Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, to answer all of this and more.  Search IG.com to find out more a...

Does the former German Chancellor think that Germany was wrong to rely on Russian gas in the run up to the war in Ukraine? What does Olaf Scholz think is behind the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany? Why will building respect help bring about a more equal and resilient society?  Rory and Alastair are joined by Olaf Scholz, former German chancellor, to answer all this and more.  Join Th...

How does the former US Special Representative for Iran think US-Iranian relations will improve? Is there a method to Trump’s madness when it comes to foreign policy? Why does Robert believe the “two-state solution” for Israel and Palestine is dead? Alastair and Rory are joined by Robert Malley, architect of the 2015 Iran Nuclear deal, to answer all this and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: St...

Do Russia or China represent a bigger risk to UK national security? Why are we underestimating the threat posed by cybercriminals? Who holds the real power - ministers or spies? Rory and Alastair are joined by Jeremy Fleming, formerly of GCHQ and MI5, to answer all this and more.  Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – inc...

How did Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya go from being a housewife to leading a Belarussian government in exile? How did Aleksandr Lukashenko become the last dictator in Europe? Why was Segei, Sviatlana’s husband, imprisoned for opposing the Putin-backed regime?  Alastair and Rory are joined by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who, along with Bill Browder, is part of a two part series featuring those standing up...

How did the “biggest capitalist in Eastern Europe” become the primary target of the Russian state? Why was Bill Browder’s friend Sergei Magnitsky killed in Russian prison? Why did Putin really start the war in Ukraine?  Rory and Alastair are joined by Bill Browder to answer all this and more.  Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus...

Why did Neil Kinnock believe the fight against Margaret Thatcher was an existential one? What would Kinnock do to tackle the threat posed to Labour by reform? Why did Labour lose the 1992 election? Alastair and Rory are joined by former Labour leader Neil Kinnock to answer all this and more. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus: Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus co...