The Rest Is Politics

The Monster He Made: Murdoch, Trump, and the Price of Power (Part 4)

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was the nature of the relationship between Fox News and Donald Trump? What, or who, caused Rupert Murdoch's marriage to Wendi Deng to end? What w...

463. Question Time: How Truth Became Optional In Trump’s America

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How serious are Trump’s hints about serving a third term? Is the US sleepwalking into a civil war? And does the Labour Party really understand rura...

462. Starmer Hits Rock Bottom: Will He Break His Manifesto to Survive?

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does Labour’s unprecedented collapse in Wales really mean? If Putin takes Ukraine, which European neighbour is next? What can Starmer learn fro...

The Phone-Hacking Scandal: How Murdoch's UK Empire Fell (Part 3)

25 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was the phone-hacking scandal and how did it escalate into a major crisis? How was Alastair himself implicated? What did Rupert Murdoch's marriag...

461. Question Time: The Tel Aviv Fan Ban & Japan’s New Thatcher

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode has been edited to remove a discussion on the China spy case. The Rest Is Politics wishes to make clear that Mr Christopher Cash and Mr C...

460. Inside Trump’s Gaza-Ukraine Playbook: Who Profits from Peace?

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Trump selling peace to the highest bidder? Is the Farage surge in Wales a warning shot for Westminster? Why is the UK going backwards again on ment...

A Deal With the Devil? Murdoch and New Labour (Part 2)

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was the nature of Rupert Murdoch's relationship with Margaret Thatcher? What led to News Corp's near-collapse in the late 1980s, and how did the ...

459. Question Time: Reform's Potential Upside, Why Bad News Sells & Reasons To Stay Hopeful

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who’s offering hope in politics today? Where are the real environmental success stories? And what one law would Rory and Alastair make a reality? ...

458. Can Trump's Peace Deal Actually Work?

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has Trump really brought a “new dawn” to the Middle East? How can one of the most broken places on earth begin to be rebuilt? And is Argentina mou...

The Rise of Rupert Murdoch: Making of a Mogul (Part 1)

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is Rupert Murdoch considered such an influential figure? What was his childhood and family like growing up in Australia? How did he establish his ...

457. Is Trump Planning Regime Change?

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is Trump attacking Venezuelan ships? Are the Greens turning protest into real political power? And, will France create a sixth Republic?  The ...

456. Antisemitism, How the Tories Lost Britain, and Gaza

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is antisemitism on the rise in the UK? Can Trump’s Gaza plan ever provide a just and lasting peace? Why does Rory think the Conservative Party i...

455. Question Time: Is Europe Already At War With Russia?

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Europe already at war with Russia — without admitting it? Are the Netherlands still a serious player in Europe? And, should national parks be res...

454. Starmer's Farage Fightback and Trump's Unworkable Gaza Plan

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it too late for Starmer to turn things around? Is Labour talking too much about immigration, and not enough about the cost of living? How can Trump...

453. Trump’s Far Right Allies in Germany: Is History Repeating Itself?

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Just how close is the far right to taking power in Europe and the UK? Why is Germany the perfect starting point for far-right agitators? Is Europe’s...

452. Question Time: America’s New Martyr and Westminster’s Hidden Spies

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Charlie Kirk becoming America’s new martyr for the far right? How deep does Chinese spying go in Western politics? And,  is Moldova the next tar...

451. Is Trump Destroying the UN?

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it time to move the United Nations headquarters out of New York? Will recognising Palestine as a state make any difference to the plight of Gaza? W...

450. Question Time: How Gen Z Took Down the Government

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

**Content Notice: this episode contains discussion of murder-suicide, rape and sexual violence** How did a corruption scandal in Nepal trigger a yo...

449. Starmer Loses Control: Will Andy Burnham Challenge the PM?

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Trump arrives in the UK after the Mandelson-Epstein debacle, are Starmer’s days numbered as PM? If he can’t turn things around, who could repla...

448. Question Time: Mandelson’s Epstein Disgrace, Kirk’s Assassination, and Trump’s Illegal Boat Strike

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Peter Mandelson become so mesmerised by the rich and famous? What does Charlie Kirk’s assassination mean for the future of American politics...

447. Is Starmer Sleepwalking Britain into Farage’s Hands?

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has Starmer’s reshuffle shifted Labour to the right, and frozen out the left? Will Farage ultimately lose control of Reform UK? Why has the French g...

446. Israel Bombs Qatar: Where Does Impunity End?

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Netanyahu’s illegal bombing of Doha yet another death knell for international law? Why is the West’s response so lacklustre? Is Trump secretly ...

445. Starmer's Deputy PM Quits: The Return of Chaos in British Politics?

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Just how damaging is Angela Rayner’s dramatic exit for the UK government? Has Starmer gone too early with his cabinet reshuffle? What does this mean...

444. Question Time: Can Labour Reinvent Itself?

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is Gaza the deadliest place for journalists? Is Farage copying Trump by silencing the press?And, Is Britain’s Online Safety Act censorship or pr...

443. China’s Plot to Topple Trump: How to Bring Down a Superpower

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How is China forging a new world order beyond Trump’s isolationist America? Is Trump’s sudden turn against India uniting Xi, Putin, and Modi – f...

442. Question Time: Trump's Plot To Cancel The Midterms

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Trump edging the U.S. toward military rule? Can Gaza survive famine amid total collapse? Will Ukraine resist Putin if Western backing falters? J...

441. The Reality of Farage’s Mass Deportation Fantasy

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Farage imitating Trump with his desire to deport 600,000 migrants from the UK? How is the media whipping up a toxic debate on immigration? Why is L...

440. Question Time: How To Start A Centrist Party

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why do the Lib Dems still fly under the radar? Is Trump quietly setting the stage for an authoritarian takeover? And, why does Alastair swear so much?...

439. The Pro-Putin President: Are Zelensky and Europe sleepwalking into disaster?

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is appeasing Trump and Putin a recipe for disaster in Europe , or simply a pragmatic approach? Why was JD Vance so silent in Zelensky's second White H...

438. Inside the Trump-Putin Summit: What Really Happened in Alaska?

16 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does 'no deal' mean for Ukraine and Europe? What was agreed behind closed doors? How will Zelensky respond? Join Rory and Alastair as they unp...

437. Question Time: Farage vs Corbyn: The UK's Next Prime Minister?

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Starmer too afraid to take on Farage? What does Germany’s turn away from Israel signal? And, how much should kids know about geopolitics?  Jo...

436. Is Trump Gifting Ukraine to Putin?

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have Zelensky and Europe lost all leverage over Trump and Putin? What’s behind Vance’s ‘odd relationship’ with UK foreign secretary David Lamm...

The Gun Lobby Responsible for Trump: Journey Through Time

10 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alastair is joined by historian and co-host of Goalhanger’s Journey Through Time, Sarah Churchwell, to discuss their new series on the History of Th...

435. Question Time: The Migrant Return Plan, Colombia’s Drug Cartels, and Will Rory Join Corbyn’s New Party?

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can Starmer’s deal with Macron really fix the Channel crisis? Is Colombia’s fragile peace falling apart amid a booming drug trade? And, could AI r...

434. Why the West is Finally Recognising Palestine

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why are the UK, France and Canada finally recognising a Palestinian state? Why is Trump punishing Brazil, India, and Switzerland with tariffs? Should ...

433. Question Time: Epstein’s Inner Circle, Ukraine’s Zelensky Backlash, and Destroying the Addiction Economy

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can Zelensky survive a war abroad while fighting enemies at home? What does Epstein’s circle reveal about power, secrets and how justice really work...

432. Trump, Starmer, and Gaza: Is The Tide Turning Against Israel?

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Will the West turn the tide on Gaza or is it too little, too late? What are the pictures Netanyahu doesn't want Trump to see? Are Israel's aid drops p...

431. Question Time: Netanyahu’s Survival, Deadly Clashes in Syria, and Japan’s "Deep State"

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Netanyahu escalating conflict to distract from scandal? How is toxic masculinity taking hold among young men? Is Japan’s youth driving a new wave...

430. Murdoch, Epstein, and AI Billionaires: Is Trump Losing Control?

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What did Alastair make of Jeffrey Epstein when he met him? Just how dangerous is AI in an unregulated world of tech bro billionaires? Why do Rory and ...

The Real JD Vance: How Trump Ditched Ideology (Part 5)

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does Trump already see himself as America’s king? Have he and Vance swapped ideology for a medieval approach to politics? Will reality finally catch...

429. Question Time: Gaza, Genocide, and Global Hypocrisy

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has the West lost its moral voice on Gaza? Can Britain and France rebuild trust on migration after Brexit? And, where are today’s Bob Geldofs — an...

428. Rory vs. Alastair: Are we spending too much on defence?

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Starmer falling into Trump's defence spending trap? What's the bigger threat to the European democracies: Putin or populism? Why has a Labour-affil...

427. The Real JD Vance: Heir to the MAGA Throne (Part 4)

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is JD Vance Trump's most dangerous heir? Would a JD Vance presidency be even more dangerous than Trump 2.0? How historically unusual is it for a Vice ...

426. Corbyn's Comeback, Musk's New Party and The Broken SEND System

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Corbyn’s new party a bold move — or a boost for the Tories? Can Labour fix SEND — or are vulnerable kids being left behind? Is Bosnia ready f...

425. Israel, Gaza, and the Definition of Genocide

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is the Israeli government creating a prison camp for Palestinians in Rafah? Why did the BBC drop its documentary investigating Israel’s destruction ...

424. The Real JD Vance: From Never Trumper to Vice President (Part 3)

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you go from calling Donald Trump “Hitler” to becoming his most loyal ally? Why did JD Vance abandon the thoughtful, Christian conservative ...

423. Question Time: Glastonbury’s Israel fallout, New York’s socialist mayor and why NATO called Trump ‘daddy’

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has ‘impartiality’ become a cover for moral failure in Palestine? Why does Trump want a Nobel peace price? And, why is the head of NATO calling Tr...

422. Things Can Only Get Better? Starmer's Stormy First Year

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What have the Labour government achieved since the general election one year ago? What are the hardest challenges Keir Starmer must face? How has Dona...

421. The Real JD Vance: The Power Behind The Man (Part 2)

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do we know about the billionaire tech bros backing Vance who hate democracy? Is Vance the political face of a revolution for the super rich? Is h...

420. Question Time: The History of Iran vs. the West

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How much do you really know about the geopolitics of Iran and the Middle East? Have British MPs made a mistake with the Assisted Dying Bill? What does...

419. What next for Trump, Israel, and Iran? | Peace vs. Regime Change

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Has Trump really helped agree peace between Israel and Iran, and how long will it last? Were last night's strikes from Iran on a US base merely perfor...

418. Trump Bombs Iran: What Happens Now?

22 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why has the US entered the Israel-Iran war? Is this the beginning of a wider war? What does this all mean for the world? Join Rory and Alastair as ...

417. The Real JD Vance: America’s Next President? (Part 1)

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Will JD Vance be America's next president, or its first king? What explains his journey from vehement never-Trumper to Trump’s Vice President and he...

416. Question Time: What the Head of MI6 Really Does

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does the murder of politicians in Minnesota tell us about the state of American politics? What is the newly appointed Chief of MI6 going to know ...

415. Iran, Israel, and Trump: War in the Middle East

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are we heading for all-out war between the US, Netanyahu and the Iranian regime? Is the West betraying international law in its support of Israel's pr...

414. Israel vs. Iran: What Happens Next

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why has Benjamin Netanyahu's government launched an attack on the Iranian military? Is this the start of a new, larger war in the Middle East? What is...

413. Question Time: How to solve Britain’s immigration question

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why does the BBC give Reform so much air time? Should there be a global refugee coalition? And, should we be surprised that AI might gaslight us? J...

412. Is Trump Starting a Civil War? | LA Protests

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are the LA protests the perfect gift for Trump, and does pushing back just add fuel to his fire? What does Musk’s exit mean for the MAGA coalition? ...

411. Question Time: Gaza’s Aid Blocked, Trump’s Power Tested & Dominic Cummings’ Big Mistake

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was the most significant event of geopolitics in the last 30 years? Are Dominic Cummings' comments about the "broken" Westminster model valid? An...

410. China, Russia, and Cyberwarfare: Is the UK preparing for the wrong war?

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Labour exaggerating the threat from Russia and missing the real risks? Does the world beyond the West now prefer China over the US? What does Polan...

409. Question Time: Trump's Golden Dome, Gaza's Global Outcry and Starmer's Prison Gamble

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How should global leaders deal with Trump? Why have the UK, France and Canada chosen now to speak out against Israel? Are young women being taken for ...

408. Broken Britain: Farage’s Plot to Outflank Labour

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is Reform UK’s growing appeal a product of Farage’s populism, or Labour’s failure to articulate a gripping national story? What’s behind Trump...

407. Question Time: The U-turn Starmer Can’t Avoid

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Just how extreme will Merz’s immigration curb get? Can the Labour Party still identify as centre-right? And should the men guilty of felling the Syc...

406. Biden, Springsteen, and Trump: Dancing in the Dark

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does Trump’s outburst against Bruce Springsteen and Joe Biden tell us about his psychology? Why has he lifted sanctions on al-Sharaa’s Syria,...

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...