The Rest Is Politics: Leading

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 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 menti...

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 Rory and Alastair to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to receive early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, enjoy...

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 Rory and Alastair to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free...

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? Alastair and Rory are joined by former Head of Mossad Intelligence and National Security Advisor to Benjamin Netanyahu, Uzi Arad, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member...

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 joined by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN, Tom Fletcher, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a mem...

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 by Senior Vice President of Google, James Manyika, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our...

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 episode of Leading Rory and Alastair are joined by Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence from 2019 to 2023. Tune in to hear the former Tory minister answers all these questions and mo...

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 parliament tackled the NHS?  Rory and Alastair are joined by the first minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Pl...

What does Musk’s de-facto role as ‘co president’ say about the impact of Big Tech on the disintegration of the international order? How can we approach solving some of the world's biggest conflicts? Is there room for hope in an increasingly tense and fragmented world? Rory and Alastair are joined by American political scientist, Ian Bremmer, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Becom...

Does Bill Clinton feel that the current Israel-Hamas war could have been avoided if former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat had accepted the peace deal in 2001? Does he regret allowing China to join the World Trade Organisation? Was Hillary Clinton unfairly attacked during her presidential campaign? And what is Putin going to do next? Rory and Alastair are joined by 42nd US President, Bill Clin...

What lessons on leadership does Angela Merkel have after 16 years served as Chancellor of Germany? Does she have any regrets from her tenure? What was it like being in East Germany when the Berlin wall fell? And what should Europe do to ensure the future security of Ukraine? Rory and Alastair are joined by ex-Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a m...

As the last Governor of Hong Kong, what are Chris Patten's reflections on the city’s trajectory since the handover in 1997? How can the West improve it's relationship to China? What role does religion play in fostering a more compassionate society today? Rory and Alastair are joined by Lord Chris Patten to discuss all this and much more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to s...

Should assisted dying be legalised? How did the murder of her sister, Jo Cox, impact British politics? Why is the job of an MP so difficult? Rory and Alastair are joined by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater to discuss all this, and more. When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritan...

What was it like entering Parliament as the youngest MP? How has the SNP’s approach to campaigning for Scottish independence changed since the 2014 referendum? What does the future hold for the SNP and Scotland's relationship with the rest of the UK? Rory and Alastair are joined by former MP Mhairi Black to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to suppo...

Was the surge in Iraq a success for the United States? How critical are alliances to maintaining global stability? How can leaders maintain resilience and integrity in the face of public scrutiny? Rory and Alastair are joined by General David Petraeus, ex-CIA Director and United States Army general during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a...

What do Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and Washington DC all have in common? Why has Donald Trump made the impact he has in the US? What was Sam Bankman-Fried really like to work alongside? Rory and Alastair are joined by the writer of Moneyball and The Big Short to answer all these questions and more. Join us on Election Night Get ready for in-depth, real-time analysis as we go live throughout elec...

What is it like to negotiate with terrorists? Will peace ever be possible in the Middle East? How did the Good Friday Agreement come to pass? On today’s episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by American politician, diplomat and lawyer George Mitchell, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsl...

What can European history teach us about the potential outcome of conflicts around the world? What effect will the results of the US election have on Ukraine? Will America always be a democracy? Rory and Alastair are joined by esteemed historian and author Timothy Snyder to discuss all this and much more. You can purchase Timothy's new book On Freedom here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460254/o...

What does the Archbishop of Canterbury suggest for bridging divides in conflict zones? What are the Church doing about declining spirituality? How was it leading the country through the death of the Queen and the coronation of the King? Rory and Alastair are joined by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Polit...

How does militant socialism compare to Corbynism? How did Labour’s ‘remain’ campaign go so wrong? And what should Labour be doing about immigration?  On today’s episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by long-serving Labour minister, Alan Johnson, to discuss all this and more Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @RestIsPolitics Email: restispolitics@gmail.com Assistant Producer: India Dunk...

How much have the “bleak” post-war years shaped modern Britain? How did growing up parentless and in poverty inspire Alan Johnson’s life choices? And, is Alastair right, could he have been prime ministerial material?  On today’s episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by long-serving Labour minister, Alan Johnson, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus Become a member of The Rest Is Poli...

What constitutes an autocratic state? How did populism come to dominate global politics from 2012-2014? When and how will the war in Ukraine end? On today’s episode of Leading, Rory and Alastair are joined by American-Polish journalist and historian Anne Applebaum, to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive ne...

What was the rivalry between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown really about? How easy is it to find work as an ex-politician? What can the Labour Party do going forward to strengthen the UK's relationship with the EU? Rory and Alastair are joined by Labour minister, Douglas Alexander, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast,...

Who is going to win the 2024 election? What is the relationship between playing professional poker and betting on politics? Why has Elon Musk endorsed Donald Trump?  Alastair and Rory are joined by legendary forecaster, Nate Silver, to answer all these questions and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our exclusive newsletter, enjoy ad-free...

Is technology destroying democracy, or can it be used to strengthen it? How did Taiwan improve public trust in politicians by 60%? Could the NHS be transformed by digital consultations for the better? The world's first digital minister, Audrey Tang, joins Rory and Alastair to discuss all this and more. TRIP Plus: Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, receive our excl...