The Rest Is Politics

Both Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart are former political figures, and both left their respective parties because of their opposition to more extreme elements in them. Their podcast is aimed at "disagreeing agreeably", seeking a more temperate and informed political debate.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/dec/29/hear-here-uncontrolled-substances-cerebral-podcast |title=Best podcasts of the week: The rise and fall of the Silicon Valley brand that made antidepressants 'cool' |last1=Duggins |first1=Alexi |last2=Verdier |first2=Hannah |last3=Richardson |first3=Hollie |last4=Lindlar |first4=Charlie |date=29 December 2022 |website=The Guardian |access-date=21 January 2023 |archive-date=21 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121101435/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/dec/29/hear-here-uncontrolled-substances-cerebral-podcast |url-status=live }}

Campbell is a journalist, political strategist, and mental health activist, known for his work as communications chief for Tony Blair. A former member of the Labour Party, Campbell was expelled after having publicly stated that he had voted for the Liberal Democrats in the 2019 European Parliament elections in the United Kingdom.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/28/labour-expels-alastair-campbell-from-party |title=Labour expels Alastair Campbell from party |date=28 May 2019 |work=The Guardian |access-date=21 January 2023 |archive-date=8 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408085850/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/28/labour-expels-alastair-campbell-from-party |url-status=live }} Stewart is an academic, author, former diplomat and politician.{{Cite web |title=Rory Stewart |url=https://jackson.yale.edu/person/rory-stewart/ |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs |language=en-US}} A former member of the Conservative Party, Stewart served as international development secretary and prisons minister under Theresa May. He represented Penrith and The Border in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom for around nine years. In 2019, after Boris Johnson was elected leader of the Conservatives, Stewart resigned from the cabinet. He was part of the 2019 suspension of rebel Conservative MPs for having rebelled against Johnson's approach to Brexit. He later also resigned his party membership.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tory-rory-stewart-sacked-text-19428060|title=Tory Rory Stewart sacked by text while he accepted politician of the year award|last=Bloom|first=Dan|date=4 September 2019|website=Daily Mirror|access-date=21 January 2023|archive-date=8 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908235520/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tory-rory-stewart-sacked-text-19428060|url-status=live}}

Goalhanger Podcasts is owned by former England footballer Gary Lineker, and also produces the podcasts The Rest Is History, hosted by Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland,{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/gary-lineker-goalhanger-expand-podcast-output-wme-1235032991/ |title=Gary Lineker's Goalhanger To Expand Podcast Output After Signing With WME |last=White |first=Peter |date=17 June 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=21 January 2023 |archive-date=21 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121101435/https://deadline.com/2022/06/gary-lineker-goalhanger-expand-podcast-output-wme-1235032991/ |url-status=live }} Battleground hosted by Saul David and Patrick Bishop, We Have Ways Of Making You Talk hosted by Al Murray and James Holland, The Rest Is Money, hosted by Robert Peston and Steph McGovern,{{Cite news |last=Sawyer |first=Miranda |date=2023-09-02 |title=The week in audio: Finn and the Bell; Animal; The Rest Is Money – review |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/sep/02/finn-and-the-bell-erica-heilman-rumble-strip-radiolab-review-animal-radio-4-the-rest-is-money-robert-peston-steph-mcgovern-goalhanger |access-date=2024-01-03 |issn=0261-3077}} The Rest is Football, hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards, and The Rest is Entertainment, hosted by Richard Osman and Marina Hyde.{{cite news |last1=Sawyer |first1=Miranda |title=The week in audio: The Rest Is Entertainment; History for You With Douglas and Hugh and more |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/dec/02/the-rest-is-entertainment-richard-osman-marina-hyde-review-history-for-you-with-douglas-and-hugh-seven-deadly-psychologies-eight-years-hard-labour |access-date=21 December 2023 |work=Guardian |date=2 December 2023}}

The podcast ordinarily releases two episodes every week: a "main" episode and a "question time" episode. The main episodes last around 30 to 50 minutes, and involve Campbell and Stewart discussing contemporary events and news stories, mostly from the United Kingdom. During the question time episodes, they answer questions from listeners. The questions are not limited to topics formerly discussed on the podcast, and include news stories not discussed on the main episodes as well as the hosts' political careers. The theme music that starts and ends each episode is "A Diabolical Caper", written by composer Luke Richards. On some occasions, the podcast releases "emergency" episodes, reacting to major news events, such as the resignations of Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak,{{cite podcast |url=https://shows.acast.com/the-rest-is-politics/episodes/special-sunak-and-javid-resign |title=SPECIAL:SUNAK AND JAVID RESIGN |website=Acast |publisher=Goalhanger Podcasts |host=Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart |date=5 July 2022 |time= |access-date=21 January 2023 |archive-date=21 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121204005/https://shows.acast.com/the-rest-is-politics/episodes/special-sunak-and-javid-resign |url-status=live }} which sparked the July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis that culminated in the resignation of Boris Johnson; the October 2022 United Kingdom government crisis which resulted in the dismissal of Kwasi Kwarteng and resignation of Liz Truss; and the first 2024 United States presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1xrMBJcYqo |title=Why Joe Biden must step down |date=2024-06-28 |last=The Rest Is Politics |access-date=2024-06-29 |via=YouTube}}

Ahead of the 2024 general election, The Rest Is Politics was announced in Channel 4's coverage line-up, presenting alongside Emily Maitlis.{{Cite news |last=Waterson |first=Jim |date=2024-04-22 |title=Emily Maitlis and The Rest Is Politics to host Channel 4 election night coverage |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/apr/22/emily-maitlis-and-the-rest-is-politics-host-channel-4-election-night-coverage |access-date=2024-04-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

{{Episode table |background=#B30407 |overall=5 |title=20 |titleT=Guest(s) |aux2=10 |aux2T=Running time |airdate=18 |aux4=15 |aux4T=Link |country=U.S. |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| RTitle = N/A

| Aux2 = 46:00

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|5|29|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-rest-is-politics-election-special/on-demand/77059-001 Episode]

| ShortSummary = In the first episode, Alastair and Rory dissect the results of their exclusive poll, which shows Labour's lead is narrowing, and discuss Rishi Sunak's national service policy.

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{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| RTitle = N/A

| Aux2 = 47:00

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|6|4|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-rest-is-politics-election-special/on-demand/77059-002 Episode]

| ShortSummary = Alastair and Rory discuss a recent poll that looks particularly damning for the Tories, and look at both Sunak and Starmer's latest election pledges.

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{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| RTitle = N/A

| Aux2 = 47:00

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2024|6|11|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-rest-is-politics-election-special/on-demand/77059-003 Episode]

| ShortSummary = Alastair and Rory ask what impact the D-Day fiasco will have on Rishi Sunak.

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}}

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{{See also|Leading (podcast)}}

The podcast hosts special guests, interviewing active and retired politicians on their careers and current events. In January 2023, Goalhanger began a new podcast series, Leading, for Campbell and Stewart to interview their special guests and to invite non-political figures as guests. Since Leading released, The Rest Is Politics did not invite any special guests, with the exception of Israeli public intellectual Yuval Noah Harari and Palestinian ambassador Husam Zomlot during the Gaza war. The following public figures have been interviewed on the podcasts' special episodes:

{{Episode table |background=#B30407 |overall=5 |title=20 |titleT=Guest(s) |aux2=10 |aux2T=Running time |airdate=18 |aux4=15 |aux4T=Link |country=U.S. |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| RTitle = Sir Tony Blair

| Aux2 = 54:59

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2022|6|29|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tony-blair-on-the-uks-relegation-battle/id1611374685?i=1000568059189 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Sir Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, discusses UK's international stature after Brexit, the future of the NHS, technology, Labour after Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| RTitle = Sir Keir Starmer

| Aux2 = 47:29

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2022|7|20|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/keir-starmer-on-rebuilding-labour-tory-leadership-and/id1611374685?i=1000570527909 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Sir Keir Starmer, the Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party, discusses his Labour leadership, his economic policy post-Brexit, the Conservative party leadership election, electoral reform in the UK and the UK constitution.

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{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| RTitle = Lord Hague of Richmond

| Aux2 = 50:53

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2022|8|3|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/william-hague-on-boris-johnson-blair-and-brexit/id1611374685?i=1000574888532 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Lord Hague of Richmond, the former UK foreign secretary and former Leader of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, discusses his tenures as leader of the opposition and as foreign secretary, Boris Johnson's resignation, House of Lords reform, Brexit, and retiring from politics.

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}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| RTitle = Mark Drakeford

| Aux2 = 47:38

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2022|9|16|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mark-drakeford-on-labour-success-tory-pms-and-welsh/id1611374685?i=1000579634739 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford discusses Welsh Labour, Welsh and Scottish nationalism, devolution, and his proficiency in Latin.

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{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| RTitle = Edi Rama

| Aux2 = 55:51

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2022|9|23|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-rest-is-politics/id1611374685?i=1000580376054 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Albanian prime minister Edi Rama discusses the European Union, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, English Channel migrant crossings and his career as an artist, sportsperson, and politician.

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}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| RTitle = François Hollande

| Aux2 = 41:34

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2022|10|27|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/fran%C3%A7ois-hollande-on-putin-obama-and-brexit/id1611374685?i=1000584030740 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Former French president François Hollande discusses Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, the importance of political parties, and the far right in France.

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{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| RTitle = Julia Gillard

| Aux2 = 53:08

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2022|11|4|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/julia-gillard-on-rishi-sunak-compulsory-voting-and/id1611374685?i=1000585024521 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard discusses women in government, her Misogyny Speech, Australian political system, monarchy, and compulsory voting.

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{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| RTitle = Helen Clark

| Aux2 = 01:00:17

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2022|12|2|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ex-new-zealand-pm-helen-clark-on-monarchy-extreme-poverty/id1611374685?i=1000588416909 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Former New Zealand prime minister and UNDP administrator Helen Clark discusses populism, her tenure as prime minister and UNDP administrator, and New Zealand's monarchy.

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{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 9

| RTitle = Yuval Noah Harari

| Aux2 = 48:27

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|10|13|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/israel-invasion-and-the-trap-laid-by-hamas/id1611374685?i=1000631234308 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Israeli public intellectual Yuval Noah Harari discusses the Gaza war. Harari has also appeared on Leading separately.

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}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 10

| RTitle = Husam Zomlot

| Aux2 = 01:03:14

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|10|13|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/palestine-gaza-and-israel/id1611374685?i=1000631537810 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Palestinian ambassador to the UK Husam Zamlot discusses the Gaza war and Israeli–Palestinian peace process.

|LineColor = B30407

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 120

| RTitle = Ahmed al-Sharaa

| Aux2 = 01:10:00

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2025|2|10|df=y}}

| Aux4 = [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-new-president-of-syria-trump-palestine-and/id1665265193?i=1000690612974 link at Apple Podcasts]

| ShortSummary = Syrian caretaker government president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, discuss the future of Syria, relations with the US and Post-Assad Syria, and other topics

|LineColor = B30407

}}

}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

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• {{YouTube|h=restispolitics|title=The Rest is Politics}}

{{Alastair Campbell}}

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Category:2022 podcast debuts

Category:Audio podcasts

Category:British podcasts

Category:Goalhanger Podcasts

Category:Interview podcasts

Category:Political podcasts