Podcast · 199 episodes

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

by Goalhanger · English

The Rest Is Politics’ Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart interview politicians, leaders, intellectuals, and more. From inside and outside of politics, guests join Rory and Alastair to discuss life, leadership, and the philosophy that’s led them to success in their chosen field. Their conversations cover key political events, global affairs, and the big ideas shaping the world today, offering listeners in-depth perspectives from those at the heart of change. The Rest Is Politics Plus: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to Question Time episodes to live show tickets, ad-free listening for both TRIP and Leading, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members’ chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

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208. Mustafa Suleyman: Is AI Actually Conscious?Debate on whether frontier AI systems (e.g., Anthropic’s Claude) should be treated as potentially conscious or morally considerable, and whether “AI welfare”/anthropomorphism increases safety risk.27 Sep 2026 · 1 h 4 min

207. Gordon Brown: How to Fix a Fracturing WorldGordon Brown discusses his book The Future Starts With Us, arguing the world is breaking in two ways: a fractured global order (wars, great-power rivalry, protectionism) and a “civic recession”…20 Sep 2026 · 57 min

206. How Putin's War Changed Finland Forever (Sanna Marin)Finland’s shift from long military non-alignment to NATO membership after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and what that implies for European deterrence, tech/AI risks, and “strategic…13 Sep 2026 · 59 min

All episodes

205. Anthony Scaramucci: Why America Keeps Making the Same MistakesAnthony Scaramucci argues the US repeatedly makes “wrong moves” that drive economic divide and anger-based populism.6 Sep 2026 · 1 h 1 min · 22 chapters

204. Will a Wealth Tax Actually Fix Britain? (Dan Neidle)Dan Neidle argues that Britain’s tax system is misunderstood and that “wealth tax” proposals are politically attractive but economically and administratively flawed.30 Aug 2026 · 1 h 7 min · 26 chapters

203. The Man Taking On Infantino: UEFA President Aleksander ČeferinUEFA president Aleksander Čeferin (Seferin) on FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s survival fight after UEFA helped block FIFA plans to “privatise” the World Cup; also recounts UEFA’s earlier fight…23 Aug 2026 · 51 min · 23 chapters

202. Is Peace in the Middle East Closer Than We Think? (A Palestinian & An Israeli's View)Two men—an Israeli and a Palestinian—argue that lasting peace in Israel/Palestine is “closer than we think,” driven by radical hope, shared values, and action that creates facts on the ground, not…16 Aug 2026 · 1 h 15 min · 24 chapters

202. Maoz and AzizThe episode is about Maoz and Aziz, two Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers whose families were devastated by the October 7, 2023 attacks and the subsequent war.14 Aug 2026 · 1 h 15 min · 24 chapters

201. How Westminster Breaks Politicians and Why Britain Isn't Ready for WarJohnny Mercer, former Conservative MP and Veterans Minister, explains how Westminster politics “breaks” politicians through performative rituals (e.g., PMQs), media incentives, and party management…9 Aug 2026 · 1 h 16 min · 19 chapters

200. Count Binface: Nigel Farage's Biggest Threat?Count Binface, a novelty candidate in the Clacton by-election, argues Nigel Farage is “against the bin” rather than “against the establishment,” and lays out a satirical-but-specific manifesto aimed…2 Aug 2026 · 42 min · 20 chapters

199. Is Trump's Chaos Pushing Iceland Towards the EU? (Prime Minister of Iceland, Kristrún Frostadóttir)Iceland’s Aug 29 referendum to reopen EU accession negotiations. Kristrún Frostadóttir argues it’s about securing a deal and preserving optionality, not an immediate “join the EU” vote.26 Jul 2026 · 1 h 6 min · 27 chapters

198. How Trump’s Imperial Presidency Really WorksHow Donald Trump’s “imperial presidency” works—especially the decision process behind the US-Israeli attacks on Iran—contrasting chaotic, personalized governing with selective secrecy and long-range…19 Jul 2026 · 53 min · 19 chapters

197. The Billionaire Tax Debate (Gabriel Zucman)The global “billionaire tax” debate, focusing on why ultra-rich people pay little or no income tax and proposing a UK/Europe-style minimum tax on wealth to fix fairness and democratic legitimacy.12 Jul 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 30 chapters

196. How America Talks Itself Into Endless WarsHow the US “talks itself” into wars by wrapping narrow self-interest (security, oil, Strait of Hormuz access) in grand narratives, producing repeated strategic mistakes across Iraq, Afghanistan,…5 Jul 2026 · 1 h 13 min · 28 chapters

195. Can the West Reclaim its Power from Trump? (Malcolm Turnbull)Malcolm Turnbull discusses whether Western countries can regain power amid Trump-era US unpredictability, growing strategic autonomy needs, and the implications of AUKUS and AI dependency.28 Jun 2026 · 1 h 11 min · 21 chapters

194. Is Putin Losing His Grip on Russia?Steve Rosenberg, BBC Russia editor, discusses whether Vladimir Putin is losing control in Russia, focusing on war fatigue, repression of dissent since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and how…21 Jun 2026 · 1 h 4 min · 20 chapters

193. James Cleverly: Why Has There Been A Radical Shift On The Right?Sir James Cleverly argues the UK’s right has undergone a “radical shift” driven by unanchored mainstream parties, failure to confront Brexit’s consequences, and a broader European/US pattern of…14 Jun 2026 · 1 h 18 min · 33 chapters

192. Are We On The Brink Of World War III? (Odd Arne Westad)Whether the world is in a dangerous pre–World War I/III-like phase, where great-power tensions and misjudgments could trigger an unforeseen “world-class crisis” leading to war.7 Jun 2026 · 1 h 3 min · 25 chapters

191. Is It Already Too Late to Control AI? (Anthropic Co-Founder, Jack Clark)Whether it’s already too late to control AI, and what coordination (industry, governments, and China) is needed for safety as models become “nuclear power plants” that can also produce “nuclear…31 May 2026 · 1 h 7 min · 28 chapters

190. How the Media Still Misunderstands Trump (Tina Brown)Tina Brown argues that “post-truth” isn’t a new condition but a media strategy used by leaders like Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, amplified by media owners and formats that reward confusion,…24 May 2026 · 1 h 13 min · 26 chapters

189. Rahm Emanuel: China, Technology, and the Future of the Democratic PartyRahm Emanuel discusses Israel’s security vs isolation, the future of the Democratic Party, U.S.-China competition, and Middle East strategy (Iran, Strait of Hormuz).17 May 2026 · 1 h 13 min · 30 chapters

188. Will AI Give China or the US Total Power? (William MacAskill)Whether AI could let one country (US or China) achieve near-total global economic and military dominance, and what democracies should do now to reduce risks like autonomous weapons and loss of…10 May 2026 · 1 h 7 min · 34 chapters

187. Yanis Varoufakis: How The 2008 Crisis Revived Far-Right PopulismYanis Varoufakis argues that the 2008 crisis functioned like a “1929” for Europe, helping revive far-right populism.3 May 2026 · 1 h 18 min · 35 chapters

186. President Aleksandar Vučić: Russia, China, and How Serbia Could Join the EUInterview with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Serbia’s path to the EU while balancing ties to Russia and China; Kosovo and the 1999 NATO intervention; media/judiciary criticisms; and his “Open…26 Apr 2026 · 1 h 5 min · 23 chapters