The Rest Is Politics

405. Starmer's EU Deal: A New Era

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Starmer's UK-EU deal a “win-win” reset of relations or a betrayal of Brexit red lines? Will this deal actually lower food and energy costs or b...

404. Question Time: How Starmer Fell Into Farage's Immigration Trap

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What message is the new pope sending to Trump? To what extent are the USAID cuts killing children? And, did Rory “get it wrong” on water nationali...

403. Trump's Gulf Billions: Saudi, Sanctions, and Ceasefires

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From a $400m plane to starvation in Gaza, who will benefit from Trump’s big Gulf visit? Who really brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan...

402. Question Time: India vs. Pakistan | What Happens Now?

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Should Labour boot Tony Blair over his attack on the government's climate policy? Why is the U.S. defending Germany’s AfD? Are Britain’s towns and...

401. Trump’s Corruption Machine, Israeli Settlers, and the Rise of Reform UK

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How has Donald Trump transformed his political power into a money-making machine, and what does it mean for American democracy? How did Israel's settl...

400. Question Time: Has the US underestimated China?

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can be learnt from Poland’s fight against the far-right? Is it time for water to be nationalised? And, how has TRIP changed Alastair and Rory’...

399. Trump vs. Putin, How to Stop Farage, and Kashmir Explained

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After 100 days of Trump 2.0, is he finally warming to Zelensky following their dramatic Vatican meeting? Is Reform UK’s rise really unstoppable? Wha...

398. Question Time: Trump’s Plan to Overhaul US Diplomacy

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Will Harvard win its fight with Trump? What caused Zelensky’s approval ratings to hit an all-time high? Which right-wing politician would Alastair s...

397. Pope Francis, the Supreme Court Gender Ruling, and Trump’s International Populist Network

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does the UK's Supreme Court ruling mean for trans rights, single-sex spaces, and the debate Labour hoped to avoid? Is Trump 2.0 helping or hinder...

396. Question Time: It's over for Kemi Badenoch

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is politics still so elitist? What story is Kemi Badenoch trying to sell? And, how can Dutton escape Trump comparisons? Join Alastair and Rory a...

395. Trump, Xi, and how China outsmarted America

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does Trump want to turn America into China? How come politicians - including those on the right - want to nationalise steel in the UK? Are we witnessi...

394. How We Trolled the Trolls: Putin, Trump, and Musk (with Anthony Scaramucci)

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has Elon Musk paid for fans to defend him on social media? What percentage of Twitter responses to Rory Stewart, Alastair Campbell, and Anthony Scaram...

393. Question Time: America’s last ally, Japan in crisis, and Netanyahu on the brink?

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why were two Labour MPs denied entry to Israel? What led to the impeachment of South Korea’s president? Is there a decline in blue-collar MPs? Join...

392. Trump’s Rampage: The Fight Against Global Crisis

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s really behind Trump’s tariff madness? Are we watching the US slide into authoritarianism in real time? How should Europe and the world figh...

391. Trump vs. the World: Global Trade War

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happens next? Is this the start of a global recession? How should allies hit back? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and...

390. Question Time: India’s moment, Qatargate, and do young brits want a dictator?

02 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How should Starmer respond to the 27% of young people who would prefer to live in a dictatorship? Could India become a third power, rivalling the US a...

389. Trump, Vance, and How the US Invades Greenland

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

America vs. the Arctic - is this the end for NATO? Should Marine Le Pen still be allowed to run for president? Will Australia adopt Trump-style politi...

388. Question Time: Adolescence, Mexico at a crossroads, and Carney’s Canadian momentum

28 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How has Mexico responded to Donald Trump? Will new Netflix show Adolescence really move the dial on youth violence? How significant a factor will Trum...

387. Spring Statement Verdict with Economist Paul Johnson (Extract)

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is available in FULL to members of TRIP Plus. Sign up now at therestispolitics.com Has Rachel Reeves played it too safe, or is caution e...

386. Trump's 'Bomb Yemen' Group Chat

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is America now conducting ‘stag do diplomacy’? Is Turkey still a democracy? What will Rachel Reeves do in her Spring Statement? Join Rory and Ala...

385. Question Time: Trump, Putin, and the Future of Ukraine

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How likely is an all-out win for Putin? What do Saudi Arabia and UAE think about Trump? What is behind the protests in Serbia? Join Alastair and Rory...

384. Labour’s War on Welfare, Trump’s Tariff Secret, and Britain’s Fight for Farming

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What sort of deal-maker is Trump? Are Labour Serious About Social Justice? And, can MPs afford to lose the farmers vote? Join Alastair and Rory as th...

383. Question Time: Farage vs. Reform, is Labour still socialist, and how to ‘out-Trump’ Trump

13 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s going on inside Reform UK? Should Europe expel Hungary from the EU? Is there anything socialist left about Labour? Join Alastair and Rory as...

382. Revenge on the West: Putin and Xi’s Plan For Trump

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why does the West obsess over Trump but ignore China’s long game? How are Xi and Putin playing America’s chaos for their own ends? Is the Al-Shara...

381. Question Time: Starmer’s Dilemma

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Labour so focused on the red wall and Reform that they risk losing people at the other end of the spectrum? What has happened with the documentary,...

380. JD Vance vs. the UK

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How much damage has JD Vance done to US-UK relations? If not the UK, which country was he referring to as "some random country"? How can we stop playi...

379. The Four Outcomes For Ukraine

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How should the world move on from the Oval Office debacle? Should Trump's state visit go ahead? And, what are Alastair and Rory's predictions for upco...

378. TRUMP VS. ZELENSKY: OVAL OFFICE SHOWDOWN

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does Trump’s dramatic outburst at Zelensky mean for Ukraine and the world? Was this an orchestrated ambush by JD Vance and Trump? Should King C...

377. Question Time: How will Europe defend itself?

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Should the UK impose a ‘War Levy’ on VAT to raise immediate funds for defence? How much independence does Starmer have over the nuclear arsenal? ...

376. Aid vs Defence: A Livestream Special

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled plans to increase defence spending by 2027 - redirecting funds from foreign aid. What does this mean for the UK and its ...

375. Germany's Fight Against the Far Right

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has Trump already become a strategic adversary to Europe? Will Starmer’s White House visit be his ‘Love Actually’ moment? How can Europe actuall...

374. Question Time: Why The US Needs A Leader Of The Opposition

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How dangerous is Europe's exclusion from Ukraine peace talks? Is there anything to be learnt from the USAID cuts? And what are Rory and Alastair's gui...

373. Europe vs. America: Crisis in the West

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What can Europe do to protect itself against the Trump administration? Will Germany’s historic anti-far right ‘firewall’ collapse? Will Ukraine ...

372. Syria, al-Sharaa, and the future of the Middle East

15 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does al-Sharaa's rise to power mean for Syria? Given his surprise takeover, how will today’s CIA analysts be changing the way they think about ...

371. Question Time: Buying Gaza, Macron’s AI Stunt, and Europe on a Knife’s Edge

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How does Trump’s controversial plan impact Middle Eastern relations? Can President Macron combat AI deep fakes in France? How does Canada plan to fi...

370. Starmer’s Silver Bullet and Trump’s War on the Poor

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Will Musk’s Washington power grab increase global poverty? Has Keir Starmer lost control of his cabinet? Is now the perfect moment for Britain to jo...

369. Question Time: China’s DeepSeek, Ambassador Mandelson, and misogyny in politics

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the danger of China’s DeepSeek? Why are male and female politicians still treated differently? Are politicians right to appease leaders the...

368. Trump's Plan for Gaza

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly does Trump mean by "taking over" Gaza? How have others reacted to Trump's proposals? How serious is he? Join Rory and Alastair as they a...

367. Rory vs JD Vance, recording from Damascus, and Trump’s tariffs

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why are Rory and Alastair in Damascus? What’s going on with JD Vance? Has there been a twist in the German election? Join Rory and Alastair as they...

366. Question Time: Why do dictators bother with sham elections?

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What stops billionaires spending their money in their lifetime? How can you stay engaged with politics without sacrificing mental health? Who are the ...

365. Trump's Mafia World Order

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How many ‘early warning signs of fascism’ are we seeing in the US? Has Trump delivered a fatal blow to America’s soft power around the world? Wh...

364. Question Time: America’s waning power, Alastair vs. Meta, and the existential threat of depopulation

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Musk, Zuckerberg, and Trump – who’s controlling who? Does populist isolationism actually make a country weaker? Could Farage actually be Prime Min...

363. The Return of Donald J. Trump

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What did the inauguration tell us about how extreme Trump 2.0 is going to be? What is Netanyahu’s endgame for Gaza – peace or perpetual war? Why h...

362. Question Time: Labour’s education error and Blair’s mistake on mental health

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why are students protesting in Serbia? Is Labour right to scrap financial support for Latin in state schools? What does Alastair think about Tony Blai...

361. Gaza, Israel, and Ceasefire

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can Gaza be rebuilt after any ceasefire is agreed? What are the ‘six deadly sins’ of the liberal centre? What should we make of Starmer’s AI...

360. Question Time: Assad’s People - Syria, Torture, and Justice

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are the media ignoring what’s happening in Gaza? Should the UK be boycotting the cricket in Afghanistan? And, how worried should we be about democra...

359. Starmer vs. Musk: Why the richest man in the world turned against the Prime Minister

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What's behind Musk's spiral into the far right? Is Robert Jenrick veering into Enoch Powell territory? Is Austria on the precipice of a new form of fa...

358. Question Time: Political translators, Boris Johnson, and politicians to watch in 2025

02 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What are Rory and Alastair's funny translation stories? Could Boris Johnson ever have a comeback? And are there any politicians to watch out for in 2...

357. Political New Year's resolutions, Elon Musk, and what happens next in Taiwan?

01 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What should Labour’s new year resolution be? How worried should we be about Elon Musk? Could China move on Taiwan in 2025? Join Rory and Alastair ...

356. Georgia, Russia, and the fight for democracy - An interview with the President of Georgia

27 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Will Georgia’s President accept the inauguration of her successor on the 29th of December? If she does, will Georgia be handed over to Russia? Is th...

355. How to start a campaign, Gisele Pelicot, and the biggest surprise of 2024

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why has the environment fallen off the political agenda? What events caught geopolitical experts off guard in 2024? And, what advice would Alastair gi...

354. Nigel Farage, dad-dancing populists, and the worst politician of the year

25 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who was the worst politician of the year? What was the biggest political moment of 2024? What was the most under-discussed moment of the year?  Join...

353. Question Time: Celeb politicians, Chinese spies, and Ireland vs. Israel

19 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why is Israel shutting its embassy in Ireland? Who is the alleged Chinese spy linked to Prince Andrew? Will the UK ever have a Donald Trump-style lead...

352. How to solve the small boats crisis

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Will Labour be able to deliver on their promises on immigration? What is the thinking behind some of Trump's cabinet picks? Could German politics swin...

351. Question Time: Geopolitics in Crisis

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why did the president of South Korea announce martial law this week? What does the result of the Romanian elections spell for Europe? How can Georgia ...

350. Assad in Moscow, Trump meets Zelensky, and Farage’s secret strategy

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is there hope for Syria? What’s next for France? And, why does Nigel Farage have a spring in his step? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all th...

349. The Fall of Assad: What's next for Syria?

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who are the Syrian rebels that have captured the capital? Why has the Assad regime collapsed so quickly? What's next for Syria, and the Middle East? ...

348. Syria, Afghanistan, and The Rest Is Classified

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It has been thirteen years since Bashar al-Assad triggered a civil war which would kill hundreds of thousands of people and devastate Syria. Recent e...

347. Question Time: Biden’s Pardon is Unforgivable

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is Starmer right to dismiss the two million people calling for a general election? What are Georgia’s chances of EU integration? And, if they were h...

346. The Battle for Syria

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who are the Syrian rebels who have attacked Aleppo? Will Keir Starmer's reset be enough to convince the public? Why is the French government on the br...

345. TRIP US: The Golden Age of Corruption

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is the United States entering a new age of corruption? Why are Democrats staying silent? What will be different about a second Trump term? This week,...

344. Question Time: Should MPs vote with their conscience or constituents?

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is there anything wrong with being an isolationist government? How far has ‘woke’ been weaponised by the far-right? Will Rory ever go on reality T...

343. What Happens Next: Israel vs. the International Criminal Court

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How has the world responded to the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for top Israeli officials? What does Trump have planned for the war i...

342. Question Time: Farmer vs Starmer, courting China, and the purpose of COP

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How would Alastair tweak the so-called “tractor-tax” to appease British farmers? Is Keir Starmer spending too much time abroad? And will internati...

341. Biden vs. Trump: A fight for the future of Ukraine

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is Biden’s move on missiles too little too late for Ukraine? Who will be in Donald Trump’s White House team? Why are business leaders growing tire...

340. Question Time: Assisted Dying, Texting Macron, and the Politics of Scandal

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are Alastair and Rory starry-eyed about Australian politics? What have Alastair and Macron been texting about? And, what does the world look like wit...

339. Trump, the Middle East, and Ukraine

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How will the president elect deal with the Israel-Gaza conflict? Does the US election result spell doom for Zelensky? What’s going on in Germany? J...

338. Trump beyond America: what’s next?

09 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will Trump appoint to his cabinet? Did wishful thinking cloud the election? And, what do the next four years look like for Taiwan, Ukraine and the...

337. Trump Returns: What Now?

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Did Trump win it or did the Democrats blow it? What are the implications of a second Trump presidency for America and the rest of the world? Has right...

336. 8am: TRUMP WINS

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Head to The Rest is Politics Youtube channel now for live coverage of the final twists and turns of the US presidential election, between 8pm-midnight...

335. 6am: Trump On The Brink

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Head to The Rest is Politics Youtube channel now for live coverage of the final twists and turns of the US presidential election, between 8pm-midnight...

334. 11pm: US Election Countdown Begins

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Head to The Rest is Politics Youtube channel now for live coverage of the final twists and turns of the US presidential election, between 8pm-midnight...

333. Kemi Badenoch, Tory Party Leader

03 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What should we expect from the new leader of the Conservative Party? Does Badenoch spell trouble for Labour? How will she reflect on her role as the f...

332. Rachel Reeves' Budget: How does it affect you?

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is Labour's first budget a success or failure for the new government? How does it compare to previous budgets? Did Rachel Reeves alter her proposals f...

331. Question Time: Murdoch or Musk — who has more power?

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why does the UK ignore Irish politics? Should Labour implement Leveson 2, and what should your 7 year-old ask a Tory MP, according to Alastair? Join ...

330. The US Election: One week to go

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With one week to go until the US election, what media outlets can you trust? Is Australia immune to the populist wave that seems to be sweeping Europe...

329. Question Time: Technology, privacy, and the battle for the NHS

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Will disability benefits ever be means tested? Could cross party collaboration fix the national health crisis? And how are Alastair and Rory staying h...

328. Could Russia interfere in the US election?

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Will the killing of the Hamas leader change the course of the war in Gaza? What is Labour’s plan for the NHS? Could Elon Musk be found guilty of buy...

327. Question Time: What does peace look like in the Middle East?

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is the point of the House of Lords today? Does Elon Musk have presidential ambitions? How bad do Downing Street comms have to get before Alastair...

326. Labour's first 100 days, the Tory leadership race, and Japan

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How have the first 100 days of the new Labour government gone? Who will be the next leader of the Tory party? What is happening in Japanese politics r...

325. Question Time: Are the Tories dead or sleeping?

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How many civilian casualties is too many: what defines a proportionate war? What makes a good civil servant according to Alastair and Rory. And, why s...

324. Israel at War: One Year On

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How has the political landscape of the Middle East changed in the year since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel? Why has Keir Starmer reshuffl...

323. Question Time: How it feels to become “the story”

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why are so many young men supporting the AFD in Germany? Would Trump be welcome on TRIP? And who, out of the pair, has the best Dame Maggie Smith stor...

322. Israel vs Hezbollah: Iran’s next move

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does the killing of Hezbollah’s leader mean for the Middle East? Who will be Labour’s next cabinet secretary? How did the far right win in Au...

321. Question Time: Why do politicians leak to the press?

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Was the recent election in Brandenburg really a “huge success” for the far-right AfD? Why are MPs allowed to be on their phones in the House of Co...

320. Labour’s struggle to define itself, Hezbollah vs. Israel, and understanding Long Covid

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Does Starmer’s government lack a strategic vision? Are we on the brink of a wider war in the Middle East? Why has society turned a blind eye to thos...

319. TRIP US: The Only State Trump Needs to Win

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

*To hear the full episode, search The Rest is Politics US wherever you get your podcasts.* How far do voters trust Donald Trump? Should the US have m...

318. Question Time: Does America really care about the ‘special relationship’?

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why has Turkey decided to join BRICS? Is New York Mayor, Eric Adams, in trouble? And what happens when the mics are turned off? Join Rory and Alastai...

317. How to save the NHS

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How are Labour planning to reform the NHS? Are the West being too slow to help Ukraine? Should social media be banned for children? Join Rory and Alas...

316. Why Kamala Harris Still Has a Problem

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does Kamala Harris need to do next? How would Republicans react to a Trump loss? Would Harris ever debate Trump on Fox News? Join Katty Kay and ...

315. Question Time: Should we fine people for missing doctor's appointments?

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is conflict brewing on the Horn of Africa? Should we fine people for missing hospital appointments? And, why do escalators pose an existential threat ...

314. Trump stumbles - but did Harris see him off?

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Will Tuesday’s US presidential debate be remembered as a turning point in the campaign? Why was Donald Trump so off-message? Did Kamala Harris miss ...

313. Why Starmer needs to be unpopular

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Can Labour make the unpopular popular? Will any change come from the Grenfell inquiry? How worrying is China’s influence in Africa? Join Rory and Al...

312. Is America Ready for Gun Reform?

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How has Donald Trump tied him self in knots over abortion? Why is there a growing gender divide in politics? Has Kamala Harris reached the end of her ...

311. Question Time: Should Labour ban smoking?

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is Brazil right to suspend X? Why have the press been calling our Deputy PM ‘Angela Raver’? And what is the history of No. 10’s Larry the Cat? ...

310. The rise of Germany’s far-right

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who will be the next French Prime Minister? How serious is the threat of Germany’s far right? Should school inspections scrap single-word reviews? J...

309. Trump's Secret Weapon

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who has returned as Donald Trump's secret weapon? What's happening in Georgia? Is Kamala Harris making a mistake over the upcoming presidential debate...

308. Question Time: Can you be friends with someone you totally disagree with politically?

29 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why have so many kids been excluded from school since the pandemic? How should the world respond to the ‘gender apartheid’ in Afghanistan? And how...

307. Starmer put to the test, Modi's visit to Ukraine, and tragedy unfolds in Sudan

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Does Starmer have a plan to fix the UK? Why did Modi visit Ukraine? What is really happening in Sudan and when will it receive more coverage in the in...

306. Did Kamala Harris' speech scare Trump?

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Was Kamala Harris' closing speech at the Democratic National Convention powerful enough to shake the Republicans? Who were the most successful speaker...