Will Climate Action Go Backwards Under Burnham?

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1. 

   E566 · 26 Aug 2026 · 1 hr

   566. Carney vs. Trump and Alastair’s Advice for Burnham’s First PMQs

   Why is Mark Carney choosing economic pain over a deal on tariffs with Trump? As Palestinians prepare to vote for the first time in 20 years, why has Mahmoud Abbas decided that now is finally the moment to hold elections, and will Israel block them? With Andy Burnham preparing for his first Prime Minister's Questions, what advice does Alastair have on where Kemi Badenoch is most likely to strike? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with the President of UEFA, Aleksander…

2. 

   E565 · 25 Aug 2026 · 57 min

   565. Zelenskyy’s Corruption Problem and Is History Repeating Itself in Germany?

   Why did Andy Burnham choose Kyiv, not Washington or Brussels, for his first foreign trip as Prime Minister? Is the tide at home turning against President Zelenskyy, and do fresh corruption scandals pose an existential threat to Ukraine’s war effort? With the AfD on course to break through in state elections for the first time, is Germany's “firewall” against the far-right about to collapse? Join Alastair and Rory as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with the President of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin, by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple,…

3. 

   20 Aug 2026 · 21 min

   Becoming Burnham: Thatcher, Hillsborough, and the Anger that Shaped Him | Part 1

   To hear the full episode and the series as it drops, sign up up at therestispolitics.com Alastair is joined by Andy Burnham’s closest confidant, friend and former colleague, Steve Rotheram – the Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region to discuss… Who really is Andy Burnham, and how is he going to change Britain? How have events like Hillsborough, and Thatcher’s Northern neglect shaped him? And, how does he contend with his imposter syndrome, his ‘Catholic guilt complex’, and his restless desire to be liked? Producer: India Dunkley Researcher: Miranda Crawford Video Editor: Josh Smith Social…

4. 

   E564 · 19 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

   564. Burnham’s Media Machine and West Bank Settler Impunity

   Is Burnham’s Britain’s first ‘TikTok Prime Minister’ and what does that mean for accountability, old-fashioned journalism, and the Westminster lobby? Why are violent Israeli settlers able to act with impunity against Palestinians in the West Bank, and is Israel effectively annexing the territory? Should young people spend the last two weeks of their summer holidays thinking about the challenges facing the world? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. Get involved with Politika’s Policy Ideas for Positive Change ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠.…

5. 

   E563 · 18 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 10 min

   563. Britain’s Afghanistan Shame and the Jason Arday Tragedy

   Five years after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover, why has not a single Western government marked the anniversary of a war that cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars? Why has Russia's last liberal anti-war party been banned ahead of next month's Duma elections, and is it a sign of Putin's strength or his weakness? What does the media frenzy that engulfed Jason Arday before his death reveal about how quickly we strip vulnerable people of their humanity? Join Rory, Alastair and Shoshana Stewart, as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy…

6. 

   E562 · 12 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

   562. The Right’s War With Itself and Burnham’s Prisons Challenge

   With Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe trading blows, is the British right tearing itself apart, and will Kemi Badenoch destroy the Conservative Party by chasing Reform and Restore voters rather than the centre ground? With prisons at breaking point and reoffending rates soaring, why aren’t governments honest about the real causes of the crisis, or the solutions? As the Rhine falls to record lows and Germany's economy takes the hit, is this the clearest sign yet that the climate crisis is now an economic one? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy…

7. 

   E561 · 11 Aug 2026 · 57 min

   561. How Trump’s Chaos Keeps Splintering the World Order

   As a new military alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan the first sign that America's allies no longer trust its guarantees? Why are politicians refusing to admit how fast America is burning through its Patriot missiles in Iran? With suspected Russian drones probing Europe, is the Kremlin about to test NATO like never before? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Johnny Mercer by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for…

8. 

   6 Aug 2026 · 21 min

   The Truth About Climate Migration – It's More Complicated Than You Think

   To hear the whole episode and catch up on the rest of the series, which includes a deep dive into food security, water scarcity and the suppressed national security report, sign up at therestispolitics.com Are people really migrating because of changes in the climate? Who pays when a nation is destroyed by a crisis it didn't cause? And what does it cost, financially and emotionally, to leave home for good? Join Caroline Lucas, Alex Randall and Aminath Shauna as they discuss all of these questions and more. ⁠⁠⁠Read the redacted Joint Intelligence Committee Report here⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Find out more…

9. 

   E560 · 5 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

   560. Trump's Hamas Disarmament 'Deal' and Europe's FIFA Boycott

   As Trump's Board of Peace unveils a plan to disarm Hamas, will the group now give up its weapons and what would this mean for Gaza's future? Amid an escalation of violence on the West Bank and with settlements continuing to grow, why does the US President appear not to care? In the wake of the Gianni Infantino revelations, does the head of FIFA actually hate football? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Watch Rory and Alastair’s interview with Count Binface by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or…

10. 

    E559 · 4 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

    559. Who Really Benefits from the Ceuta Migration Crisis?

    Why did 50,000 people risk their lives in an attempt to cross the Morocco-Spain border? What do the pictures emerging from the enclave of Ceuta reveal about the bigger migration story? Why did right-wing figures across the world, from Donald Trump to Elon Musk and Giorgia Meloni, all weigh in? Alastair and Rory are joined by immigration expert Gerald Knaus as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Watch Rory and Alastair’s interview with Count Binface by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. We want to know what you think about the climate crisis! For a chance for…