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Leading
Leading
Goalhanger

Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, hosts of Britain's biggest podcast (The Rest Is Politics), have joined forces once again for their new... more

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Episodes

Mhairi Black: Independence, inequality, and the future of the SNP

What was it like entering Parliament as the youngest MP? How has the SNP’s approach to campaigning for Scottish independence... more

18 Nov 2024 · 53 minutes
General David Petraeus: Iraq, Afghanistan, and the US military's role in the world

Was the surge in Iraq a success for the United States? How critical are alliances to maintaining global stability? How... more

11 Nov 2024 · 1 hour, 15 minutes
Michael Lewis: Donald Trump, Sam Bankman-Fried, and the future of the USA

What do Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and Washington DC all have in common? Why has Donald Trump made the impact... more

04 Nov 2024 · 56 minutes
War and Peace in Northern Ireland and the Middle East (George Mitchell)

What is it like to negotiate with terrorists? Will peace ever be possible in the Middle East? How did the... more

01 Nov 2024 · 1 hour, 7 minutes
Timothy Snyder: How will the US election result impact Ukraine?

What can European history teach us about the potential outcome of conflicts around the world? What effect will the results... more

28 Oct 2024 · 1 hour, 2 minutes
Archbishop of Canterbury: Faith, mental health, and the future of the Church

What does the Archbishop of Canterbury suggest for bridging divides in conflict zones? What are the Church doing about declining... more

20 Oct 2024 · 1 hour, 23 minutes
Alan Johnson: From Blair to Starmer - What can Labour learn? (Part 2)

How does militant socialism compare to Corbynism? How did Labour’s ‘remain’ campaign go so wrong? And what should Labour be... more

13 Oct 2024 · 42 minutes
Alan Johnson: The Prime Minister We Never Had? (Part 1)

How much have the “bleak” post-war years shaped modern Britain? How did growing up parentless and in poverty inspire Alan... more

06 Oct 2024 · 45 minutes
Anne Applebaum: Corruption, Populism, and Ending the War in Ukraine

What constitutes an autocratic state? How did populism come to dominate global politics from 2012-2014? When and how will the... more

29 Sep 2024 · 51 minutes
Team of Rivals: Blair, Brown and the secrets of New Labour (Douglas Alexander)

What was the rivalry between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown really about? How easy is it to find work as... more

22 Sep 2024 · 1 hour,
Nate Silver: Can we predict who will win the 2024 US election?

Who is going to win the 2024 election? What is the relationship between playing professional poker and betting on politics?... more

15 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
How to fight fake news and strengthen democracy (Audrey Tang)

Is technology destroying democracy, or can it be used to strengthen it? How did Taiwan improve public trust in politicians... more

08 Sep 2024 · 54 minutes
Frank Luntz: The World's Most Prolific Pollster

Can a pollster be apolitical? What issues are the American people most interested in Kamala Harris and Donald Trump tackling?... more

01 Sep 2024 · 58 minutes
DNC Special: An alternative view from a Trump supporter (David Urban)

What did a Trump supporter make of the Democratic National Convention? Does Donald Trump have any friends? What message did... more

26 Aug 2024 · 26 minutes
DNC Special: The Young Buck (Josh Elliot)

What does a State Senator do? What is the difference in the energy at the DNC now the nominee is... more

25 Aug 2024 · 18 minutes
DNC Special: The Veteran Congresswoman (Rosa DeLauro)

What is the role of a member of Congress? How much do campaigns in the United States really cost? Is... more

24 Aug 2024 · 23 minutes
DNC Special: The Attack Dog (Bob Mulholland)

What is the role of a delegate at a convention? Why is focusing on the negative the best way to... more

23 Aug 2024 · 30 minutes
DNC Special: The Pollster (John Anzalone)

What goes on behind the scenes of campaign polling? When did American campaigns stop focusing on policy and become all... more

23 Aug 2024 · 33 minutes
Why we should ban all money from politics and kids from social media (Peter Malinauskas)

Are donations the biggest evil in politics? Should children be banned from social media entirely? How much does Australia look... more

18 Aug 2024 · 1 hour, 7 minutes
David Davis: The danger of Farage and the battle for the soul of the Tory Party

Does David Davis still think Brexit has been a success? Was he wrong on gay marriage and the death penalty?... more

11 Aug 2024 · 1 hour, 9 minutes
Bush and Iraq, being J.D. Vance’s boss, and why Trump loses (David Frum)

What was George W Bush like behind closed doors? Why did Trump really choose ‘never-Trump guy’ JD Vance as his... more

04 Aug 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
Nick Clegg: Biden, Brexit, and kicking Trump off Facebook (Part 2)

What is the legacy of the coalition government? How do American politicians compare to British? Do the leaders of Silicon... more

28 Jul 2024 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Nick Clegg: Coalition, Cameron, and Chaos (Part 1)

What closed-doors conversations led to the 2010 coalition? What were the coalition years like? How did it all go wrong... more

21 Jul 2024 · 1 hour,
Lisa Nandy: Making Britain a cultural superpower

What responsibilities will Lisa Nandy take on as the new Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport? Why was... more

14 Jul 2024 · 1 hour, 10 minutes
Denmark's former PM on the power of centrist politics, fighting misogyny and joining the Kinnock empire (Helle Thorning-Schmidt)

How can we unite the extreme right and extreme left? What impact can small countries have on global politics? How... more

07 Jul 2024 · 1 hour,
The Man Who Ran Downing Street

What are prime ministers really like behind closed doors? How do you become Britain’s most powerful civil servant? Are special... more

30 Jun 2024 · 55 minutes
Wes Streeting: Labour, privatisation, and the NHS

Could privatising areas of the NHS save it? How easy is it to reconcile one's faith and sexuality? What is... more

27 Jun 2024 · 58 minutes
Alex Chalk, Lord Chancellor: How to fix Britain’s prisons

What are the powers of the Lord Chancellor? How important are friendships in politics? What needs to change to solve... more

23 Jun 2024 · 58 minutes
Bridget Phillipson: Can we save Britain's schools?

Is there a class system in the UK? What is the State's role in redistributing wealth in society? How did... more

16 Jun 2024 · 57 minutes
Nadhim Zahawi: Iraq, Conservatism, and why he backed Boris Johnson

What does the former Chancellor make of the current Conservative election campaign? What was his experience escaping Saddam Hussein's Iraq?... more

13 Jun 2024 · 48 minutes
David Blunkett: Education, policing immigration, and the future of the Labour Party (Part 2)

What challenges did David Blunkett face as Home Secretary following 9/11? Does he have any regrets relating to his crime... more

09 Jun 2024 · 52 minutes
David Blunkett: Tony Blair, growing up blind, and where Margaret Thatcher went wrong (Part 1)

How did the loss of industry in the 1980s affect David Blunkett's politics? What was his experience growing up blind... more

02 Jun 2024 · 47 minutes
Legacy... Margaret Thatcher

Afua Hirsch and Peter Frankopan tell the wild stories of some of the most extraordinary men and women ever to... more

31 May 2024 · 5 minutes
Rachel Reeves: Britain’s next Chancellor?

How would an incoming Labour government fund the NHS? How does Reeves and Starmer's relationship compare to Blair and Brown?... more

26 May 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
The Greek Prime Minister vs Rishi Sunak: The Elgin Marbles, immigration, and the EU

Why did Rishi Sunak snub the Prime Minister of Greece? How have Greece solved their immigration issue? How will populist... more

25 May 2024 · 1 hour, 5 minutes
Kwasi Kwarteng: Liz Truss, becoming Chancellor, and Britain on the brink (Part 2)

Why did the Tory Party choose to make Liz Truss and Boris Johnson prime minister? How does it feel to... more

19 May 2024 · 54 minutes
Kwasi Kwarteng: Boris Johnson, the British Empire, and Rwanda (Part 1)

"If I were 22 now, I probably wouldn't vote Conservative" - Kwasi Kwarteng In the first of two episodes with the... more

12 May 2024 · 44 minutes
Nancy Pelosi: From JFK's inauguration to fighting Donald Trump

How did Nancy Pelosi rise up to be the most politically powerful woman in America? What was it like to... more

05 May 2024 · 58 minutes
Israel's former PM on why Netanyahu is finished, the settler movement, and corruption - Ehud Olmert

How much do you know about the last serious attempt at a two state solution in the Israel-Gaza conflict?  On today's... more

28 Apr 2024 · 1 hour, 3 minutes
Sadiq Khan: Faith, power, and the truth about Boris Johnson

How much power does the Mayor of London actually have? Have we moved forward - or backwards - as a... more

21 Apr 2024 · 1 hour, 10 minutes
The brutal truth about net zero and how to vanquish climate populists, with Dieter Helm

Is net zero 2030 impossible to achieve - and is it a mistake to pursue it? Should governments be more... more

14 Apr 2024 · 1 hour, 14 minutes
Israel-Gaza: How the conflict divided Britain and the US, with Ed Kessler

What makes international conflicts turn domestic? Does Qatar play the key role in bringing peace to the Middle East? Is... more

07 Apr 2024 · 56 minutes
A Tale of Two Spies: The former heads of MI5 and MI6 on the Iraq War, double agents, and the IRA

Should spies be allowed to break the law while undercover? What should the relationship between government and intelligence look like?... more

31 Mar 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
Antony Gormley: Art, religion, and the battle for culture

Can Britain remain a cultural superpower post-Brexit? How does religion and philosophy inform creativity? How can we prevent arts from... more

25 Mar 2024 · 1 hour, 5 minutes
Albin Kurti, Prime Minister of Kosovo: Vladimir Putin, surviving prison, and Serbia

How did peace come to the Balkans? What was it like to be a political prisoner? Is Serbia more allied... more

18 Mar 2024 · 1 hour, 3 minutes
Caroline Lucas: Leading the Green Party, leaving politics, and the importance of protest

How hard is it to be a one person party in parliament? What can the left learn from the populist right?... more

11 Mar 2024 · 1 hour, 7 minutes
Sajid Javid: Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Shamima Begum (Part 2)

What is Sajid's biggest regret from his time in politics? What barriers did he come up against in the Shamima... more

08 Mar 2024 · 42 minutes
Sajid Javid: Austerity, the Tory leadership contest, and the problem with 'islamophobia' (Part 1)

How are politicians working to combat anti-muslim and antisemitic racism in the UK? How does Sajid maintain friendships across party... more

04 Mar 2024 · 42 minutes
James Rubin: Working for Biden, American intervention, and the fight against Russian disinformation

“You took me to one side and said be very, very careful of these people, these neo-cons. Because they’re going... more

26 Feb 2024 · 1 hour, 8 minutes
Anthony Scaramucci: What it's like to be Donald Trump's Communications Director

Would a second Trump presidency be far more right wing? What drives the former US president? Is he trying to... more

19 Feb 2024 · 1 hour, 8 minutes
Robert Sapolsky: The psychology behind Donald Trump, the science of stress, and the illusion of ‘free will’

Why do we get stressed? What are the psychological differences between conservatives and liberals? Is free will a myth? Rory and... more

12 Feb 2024 · 1 hour, 4 minutes
Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Scotland: Nicola Sturgeon, independence, and his family's escape from Gaza

What is the future of the independence debate in Scotland? How was it to work with Nicola Sturgeon? Have world... more

05 Feb 2024 · 1 hour, 4 minutes
Tucker Eskew, communications director to George W. Bush and Sarah Palin: Why I'm voting Democrat

What does President Biden need to do to defeat Trump? What went wrong in Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign? Did Republican... more

29 Jan 2024 · 56 minutes
Bill Gates: Conspiracy theories, AI, and the politician he most admires

How does one of the richest men in the world run a business? Is artificial intelligence going to be as... more

22 Jan 2024 · 57 minutes
Gillian Keegan: The future of British schools, union 'barons', and Sunak's Rwanda battle

What's it like to be the Secretary of State for Education who left school at 17? How much power do... more

15 Jan 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
Guy Verhofstadt: Is there a case for a European army?

What's it like to run Belgium for a decade? How many people in the EU actually believe in 'ever-closer union'?... more

08 Jan 2024 · 55 minutes
Seb Coe: Corruption, gender, and the geopolitics of sport

Will doping ever be defeated in sport? What was it like going from world class runner to government whip? Are... more

01 Jan 2024 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Tom Holland: How religion shaped politics and the Western world

Is the West more Christian than it thinks? Why are so many British prime ministers from religious backgrounds? How does... more

25 Dec 2023 · 1 hour, 3 minutes
Tim Peake: Will humans colonise Mars?

What is the future of human space exploration? Will people live on Mars in our life time? Are there plans... more

18 Dec 2023 · 1 hour,
Angela Rayner: From zero GCSEs to Britain’s most powerful woman?

Could Labour still lose the next election? What really went wrong under Jeremy Corbyn? What do the left actually think... more

11 Dec 2023 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
Christiana Figueres: COP28, Costa Rica, and surviving the climate crisis

How do countries cooperate to tackle the climate emergency? Is it unusual for the United Nations Climate Change Conference to... more

04 Dec 2023 · 57 minutes
Simon Sebag Montefiore: The impact of conflicting histories in the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars

Is understanding history a means to peace between Israel and Palestine? Has Putin’s obsession with Russia’s imperial history motivated his... more

27 Nov 2023 · 47 minutes
Tony Klug: Could the Israel-Hamas conflict restart the peace process?

Is peace possible in the Middle East? What is the difference between a one-state solution and a two-state solution? What... more

24 Nov 2023 · 49 minutes
Arancha González Laya: The World’s Most Powerful Organisations

Are increased military budgets needed following on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine? Will Europe take the same approach to regulating... more

20 Nov 2023 · 51 minutes
Introducing... Legacy

Everyone leaves a legacy.  In their new podcast series, produced by Goalhanger & Wondery, Afua Hirsch and Peter Frankopan tell the... more

15 Nov 2023 · 6 minutes
Dr Comfort Ero: Resolving deadly conflicts & reforming the UN

How important is the role of the international community in resolving conflict? Is peace possible in the Middle East? How... more

13 Nov 2023 · 59 minutes
Mark Carney: Bank of England, Trussonomics, and Brexit

Can financial markets help fight climate change? What's the true economic theory behind austerity? What does the Bank of England... more

06 Nov 2023 · 1 hour, 3 minutes
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Trump, Biden, and the American Dream

How do we fix the polarisation in the US? What made him move from Hollywood movies to the world of... more

30 Oct 2023 · 53 minutes
Sayeeda Warsi: Britain and the Muslim World

How prevalent is islamophobia in the UK? How can we help Jewish and Muslim communities at this time? Why have... more

26 Oct 2023 · 55 minutes
Reid Hoffman: Bankrolling Biden to beat Trump, the "PayPal Mafia", and Musk's messiah complex

How does life in Silicon Valley compare to the United Kingdom? What was it like working with Elon Musk and... more

22 Oct 2023 · 1 hour, 12 minutes
Minette Batters: The Most Powerful Farmer in Britain

70% of British land is agricultural - yet we don't speak about farming much. What is the politics of the... more

15 Oct 2023 · 56 minutes
Theresa May: Donald Trump, David Cameron, and ‘Brexit means Brexit’ (Part 2)

Why did Theresa May prefer Gordon Brown to Tony Blair as a Prime Minister? Does the former PM have any regrets over Brexit?... more

08 Oct 2023 · 55 minutes
Theresa May: Windrush, police, and the cult of personality (Part 1)

What is Theresa May’s biggest regret from her time as Home Secretary? Why was the Hillsborough disaster such an abuse of power?... more

01 Oct 2023 · 55 minutes
Chris Hipkins, New Zealand PM: Working with Xi Jinping, fighting to stay in power, and zero covid's double-edged sword

What is it like going from cabinet minister to Prime Minister? Are politicians in New Zealand more courteous than politicians... more

24 Sep 2023 · 56 minutes
Andy Burnham and Andy Street: A Tale of Two Cities

What is it like to run a metropolitan area? How does devolution impact the citizens of regional areas? Does party... more

17 Sep 2023 · 57 minutes
Cathy Ashton: Dealing with Putin and Lavrov, Kosovo–Serbia, and 'radical humility'

How do we retain empathy when negotiating with a stranger who has a radically different worldview to our own? As the former High... more

10 Sep 2023 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Ed Davey: Leading the Lib Dems, fighting the Tories, and a coalition with Starmer’s Labour?

What was it like for the Liberal Democrats in coalition? Would Ed Davey be prepared to work alongside Keir Starmer... more

03 Sep 2023 · 1 hour, 12 minutes
Mustafa Suleyman: Will AI save or destroy humanity?

How much do you really know about the dangers of AI? Is it the best hope we have of surviving as a... more

27 Aug 2023 · 1 hour, 4 minutes
Miriam González Durántez: Navigating Silicon Valley, the Cameron-Clegg years, and the fight for gender equality

How can we empower young women to seek positions of power? What was it like having a ringside seat during... more

20 Aug 2023 · 58 minutes
Yuval Noah Harari: The dangers of AI and the future of humanity (Part 2)

What makes homo sapiens unique from other living creatures? What will happen to society if artificial intelligence dictates culture? Why... more

14 Aug 2023 · 58 minutes
Anthony Joshua: Responding to failure, Saudi Arabia, and Tyson Fury

From raving and "wheeler-dealing" to heavyweight champion of the world, Anthony Joshua's story is unmissable. Listen to Rory, Alastair and... more

06 Aug 2023 · 54 minutes
Yuval Noah Harari: Crisis and tragedy in Israel (Part 1)

‘We are facing spiritual and moral destruction.’  Is Israeli democracy facing the most dangerous moment in its history? Yuval Noah Harari... more

31 Jul 2023 · 54 minutes
Paul Nurse: The power of genetics, battling politicians, and the fight against cancer

How close are we to finding a cure for cancer? What did the government do wrong - in scientific terms... more

24 Jul 2023 · 1 hour, 4 minutes
Feargal Sharkey: Teenage Kicks, Bobby Sands, and saving our rivers

Can we reverse the damage done to our polluted rivers and seas? What was it like to write Teenage Kicks?... more

17 Jul 2023 · 44 minutes
Francis Fukuyama: Trump, Modi, and ‘The End of History’

What was the worst political mistake in modern history? How do religious Republicans bring themselves to support Trump? Was it... more

10 Jul 2023 · 1 hour,
Michael Ignatieff: Fighting Orban's Global Conservative Cabal

What's it like to know how your obituary will read? What makes the democratic system the best for fighting against... more

03 Jul 2023 · 1 hour, 4 minutes
John Major: The Gulf War, Black Wednesday, and Populism (Part 2)

What was it like fighting New Labour? Why did Black Wednesday happen? How did Ian McKellen help bring the campaign... more

26 Jun 2023 · 1 hour, 6 minutes
John Major: From Brixton to Downing Street (Part 1)

Why is Sir John Major a Tory? How did he make it from Brixton to 10 Downing Street? What was... more

19 Jun 2023 · 51 minutes
Kate Raworth: Doughnut economics and thriving in balance

In the 21st century, the impact of financial and environmental crises can be felt by all. But how do we... more

12 Jun 2023 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Mary McAleese: Building bridges as the President of Ireland

For former President of Ireland Mary McAleese, the personal is the political. Growing up in Belfast with a deeply personal... more

05 Jun 2023 · 52 minutes
Jonathan Powell: How to negotiate with terrorists

The role of Downing Street Chief of Staff was created for him, and he was the only senior advisor to... more

29 May 2023 · 57 minutes
Leo Varadkar: Ireland's Taoiseach on NATO, China, and Joe Biden

How does the Irish Taoiseach feel about Brexit? Would Leo Varadkar consider himself a Tory in the English parliamentary system?... more

22 May 2023 · 39 minutes
George Osborne: Austerity, Boris Johnson, and the UK's next Prime Minister

Does George Osborne regret leaving politics? Does he think Sunak can win the next general election? What did he admire... more

15 May 2023 · 1 hour, 9 minutes
Gerry Adams: The Troubles, Margaret Thatcher, and the IRA

How much do you know about Thatcher's back channels with Irish republicans during the Troubles? What are Gerry Adams' emotions... more

08 May 2023 · 47 minutes
Tony Blair: Taking insults, swallowing pride, and negotiating with both sides

How was peace achieved in Northern Ireland? What was it like speaking to the IRA, loyalist paramilitary groups and victims... more

01 May 2023 · 45 minutes
Hillary Clinton: Fighting Putin, the Return of Trump, and the Killing of Osama Bin Laden

Will Donald Trump return to the White House? What happened behind the scenes during the killing of Osama Bin Laden?... more

24 Apr 2023 · 46 minutes
David Miliband: The Age of Impunity

Why did David Miliband leave British politics? How did he get involved in the New Labour project? And what does... more

17 Apr 2023 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Brian Cox: Succession, socialism, and Scotland

What do the Murdochs think of Succession? Should the SNP change its name? Why do some actors swear by method... more

10 Apr 2023 · 43 minutes
David Baddiel: God, Anti-Semitism and the Y-Word

How aware are you of anti-Semitism in Britain? Comedian and author David Baddiel tells Alastair and Rory about his family,... more

03 Apr 2023 · 57 minutes
Gary Lineker: Politics, football and the BBC

Gary Lineker is regularly told to 'stick to football'. Now, after recently tweeting his views on the Government’s refugee policy,... more

27 Mar 2023 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Leading
Leo Varadkar: Ireland's Taoiseach on NATO, China, and Joe Biden
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Description

How does the Irish Taoiseach feel about Brexit? Would Leo Varadkar consider himself a Tory in the English parliamentary system? Does Ireland... more