The Rest Is Politics: Leading

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...

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...

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...

As Western nations become increasingly dependent on the US for AI, satellite infrastructure, and defence, are they sacrificing sovereignty in exchange for American security? Can middle powers such as Australia and the...

With war fatigue growing and polls showing increasing dissatisfaction with life in Russia, is Vladimir Putin beginning to lose control? What is really happening inside Russia today? And what is it like to report the...

What does James Cleverly think of Nigel Farage and Reform? How does Cleverly explain his unexpected exit from the Tory leadership race? What could the future of AI in Great Britain look like under different leadership?...

How similar is today's world to the months before the outbreak of World War I? Could Taiwan, India-China tensions, or an unforeseen crisis be the spark that sets the world ablaze? Are our leaders too consumed by...

Why is one of AI's most powerful insiders scared of what he's building? Who's really in charge of the technology reshaping our world? Is it too late for governments to regulate it? Rory and Matt Clifford are joined by...

Why does Trump understand the media better than the media understands him? Are tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos more dangerous to journalism than Rupert Murdoch ever was? What did Tina Brown see change in...

Will Rahm Emanuel run to be the next President of the United States? What were the underlying policy disagreements regarding West Bank settlements that led to Benjamin Netanyahu publicly attacking Rahm Emanuel? And...

Could artificial intelligence hand the US or China 99% of global economic and military power? What happens when millions of autonomous weapons systems are controlled by a single commander-in-chief? Has effective...

Was the 2008 financial crisis as consequential as the 1929 Wall Street Crash? How did it pave the way for Trump, Brexit, and the rise of the far-right across Europe? Will the economic damage caused by Trump’s war with...

How does President Vučić justify Serbia's geopolitical balancing act between Russia, China, and the European Union? Why does he warn that if the EU further delays enlargement, the United States might seize the...

Does the Leader of Scottish Labour regret calling for Keir Starmer to resign over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador? In the upcoming election, would he consider putting Scottish Labour into a coalition...

At a time when the United States is threatening to withdraw from NATO, how can Europe maximise its power to deter Russia's threat? If Vladimir Putin were given the territory Donald Trump offered in his peace plan, what...

How did Naz Shah’s experience growing up in Bradford and her experience with her family in the legal system influence her to go into politics? What does it mean for a political party to truly “stand for something” in...

How are rights for trans people in the US improving or worsening under the Republican administration? What fundamentally needs to change in Congress to improve the state of politics? Are the Democrats doing enough to...

Why was Ai Weiwei kidnapped and held prisoner by the Chinese government? How did the 2008 Sichuan earthquake radicalise him into taking aim at the authorities through art? What’s behind Ai Weiwei’s belief that there is...

Why is Prime Minister Sánchez such an outlier in challenging Trump on everything from military spending to Gaza? What’s behind Spain’s recent economic success? How is Spain tackling the rising far-right? What are Pedro...

How did President Stubb’s golfing talent lead him to fostering a close relationship with President Trump? Why was ‘Prime Minister’ the worst job ever? Why will the Global South define the new world order? Rory and...

What happened on a ridiculous midnight phone call between Donald Trump and the Governor of California? Why does Gavin Newsom believe the President will be crushed in the mid-terms? What is Newsom’s tactic for trolling...

Does the former German Chancellor think that Germany was wrong to rely on Russian gas in the run up to the war in Ukraine? What does Olaf Scholz think is behind the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany? Why...

How does the former US Special Representative for Iran think US-Iranian relations will improve? Is there a method to Trump’s madness when it comes to foreign policy? Why does Robert believe the “two-state solution” for...

Do Russia or China represent a bigger risk to UK national security? Why are we underestimating the threat posed by cybercriminals? Who holds the real power - ministers or spies? Rory and Alastair are joined by Jeremy...

How did Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya go from being a housewife to leading a Belarussian government in exile? How did Aleksandr Lukashenko become the last dictator in Europe? Why was Segei, Sviatlana’s husband, imprisoned...