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The Rest Is Politics: Leading

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

Goalhanger 194 Episodes Sep 20, 2026

The Rest Is Politics: Leading is a podcast where Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart interview politicians, leaders, intellectuals, and more. Guests discuss life, leadership, and the philosophy that has led them to success in their chosen field. The conversations cover key political events, global affairs, and big ideas shaping the world today, offering in-depth perspectives from those at the heart of change.

Episodes

207. Gordon Brown: How to Fix a Fracturing World
207. Gordon Brown: How to Fix a Fracturing World Sep 20, 2026 3419 What did Gordon Brown learn from leading the UK through the global financial crisis? Why do so many citizens today not belong to any civic or religious group, and how does that impact our politics? How can middle powers come together to rival the strength of China and the USA? Former Prime Minister of the UK, Gordon Brown, joins Rory and Alastair to discuss all this and more. Search IG.com
206. How Putin's War Changed Finland Forever (Sanna Marin)
206. How Putin's War Changed Finland Forever (Sanna Marin) Sep 13, 2026 3525 Following Putin's war in Ukraine, how politically challenging was it committing Finland to join NATO? What was it like becoming the world's youngest sitting prime minister at 34? Why did a scandal over dancing at a private party become a national and international story? Rory and Alastair are joined by former Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, to discuss all this and more. __________ S
205. Anthony Scaramucci: Why America Keeps Making the Same Mistakes
205. Anthony Scaramucci: Why America Keeps Making the Same Mistakes Sep 6, 2026 3653 Why does Anthony Scaramucci think Osama bin Laden is “winning”, and what has the War on Terror really cost America? From letting China into the WTO to bailing out the banks in 2008, how did America's own leaders pave the way for Donald Trump's electoral victories? As Trump's second term reaches its halfway point, is America about to bankrupt itself? Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart are joined b
204. Will a Wealth Tax Actually Fix Britain? (Dan Neidle)
204. Will a Wealth Tax Actually Fix Britain? (Dan Neidle) Aug 30, 2026 3995 Why does tax expert Dan Neidle take Gabriel Zucman seriously as a thinker on inequality, but dismiss Gary Stevenson's warnings as populism? What did he uncover in Peter Mandelson's emails, and how did he expose Nadhim Zahawi's tax affairs? Can a wealth tax really raise the money Britain needs, or is it a seductive slogan that promises far more than it can deliver? Alastair Campbell and Rory Stew
203. The Man Taking On Infantino: UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin
203. The Man Taking On Infantino: UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin Aug 23, 2026 3046 How did UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin lead the revolt that tore apart Gianni Infantino's plan to privatise the World Cup? Is Infantino finished as FIFA President after alienating the European federations who once put him there? What does Infantino's courtship of Donald Trump - from the FIFA "Peace Prize" to the World Cup red card scandal  - reveal about the collision of football and polit
202. Is Peace in the Middle East Closer Than We Think? (A Palestinian & An Israeli's View)
202. Is Peace in the Middle East Closer Than We Think? (A Palestinian & An Israeli's View) Aug 16, 2026 4501 How do an Israeli who lost his parents on October 7th and a Palestinian whose brother died after torture in Israeli prisons come together to reject revenge and build a brotherhood for peace? Why do they believe lasting peace between Israel and Palestine could be just "two to four weeks away"? What can Britain do to help end a conflict it helped create? Alastair and Rory are joined by peace activi
201. How Westminster Breaks Politicians and Why Britain Isn't Ready for War
201. How Westminster Breaks Politicians and Why Britain Isn't Ready for War Aug 9, 2026 4586 Is Britain's military being left behind as drones and AI rewrite the rules of modern warfare? Is British politics broken beyond repair, and does Johnny Mercer's ruthless fight for veterans reveal what's really wrong with Westminster? Why did a man so obsessed with truth end up defending Boris Johnson?  Alastair and Rory are joined by Johnny Mercer, former Conservative MP, Cabinet Minister, a
200. Count Binface: Nigel Farage's Biggest Threat?
200. Count Binface: Nigel Farage's Biggest Threat? Aug 2, 2026 2526 Is Count Binface really Nigel Farage's biggest threat in Clacton, and has Farage already lost by turning "me against the establishment" into a battle against a bin? Does Binface's manifesto hide serious politics beneath the comedy? Could a joke candidate ever become a serious political force? Alastair and Rory are joined by Count Binface as they answer all these questions and more. __________
199. Is Trump's Chaos Pushing Iceland Towards the EU? (Prime Minister of Iceland, Kristrún Frostadóttir)
199. Is Trump's Chaos Pushing Iceland Towards the EU? (Prime Minister of Iceland, Kristrún Frostadóttir) Jul 26, 2026 3932 What are the real reasons Iceland has brought forward its vote on restarting accession talks with the EU? What lessons did the Prime Minister learn from watching Brexit unfold while living in the UK, and how have those experiences shaped her government's approach to Iceland's EU campaign? How did the Social Democrats go from three MPs to running the country? Alastair and Rory are joined by Kris
198. How Trump’s Imperial Presidency Really Works
198. How Trump’s Imperial Presidency Really Works Jul 19, 2026 3171 How does the most chaotic White House in history actually make decisions? How did Netanyahu sell Trump on a regime change war in Iran? Who is the only world leader Trump is truly afraid of?  Alastair is joined by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, White House correspondents for the New York Times and authors of 'Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump' to discuss all t
197. The Billionaire Tax Debate (Gabriel Zucman)
197. The Billionaire Tax Debate (Gabriel Zucman) Jul 12, 2026 4300 Can the super rich ever be fairly taxed, or are there too many functioning tax havens? Can capitalism survive the ever growing disparity between the top 1% and the rest? Should billionaires exist at all? Rory and Alastair are joined by economist Gabriel Zucman to answer all this and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE,
196. How America Talks Itself Into Endless Wars
196. How America Talks Itself Into Endless Wars Jul 5, 2026 4357 What does the gap between American foreign policy rhetoric and reality reveal about the failures of its military interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Iran? In an age of algorithm-driven political polarisation, can authentic political speech still break through, or has social media made Trump-style fragmentation impossible to overcome? Is Donald Trump an anomaly in American politics, or p

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