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This week, Alastair speaks with former professional footballer Clarke Carlisle. Today, as he tells Alastair, Clarke feels well. But after years of undiagnosed depression during a long Premier League career, he tried to take his own life many times, including stepping out in front of a lorry Alastair and Clarke disagree on whether happiness is a state of being or a transient emotion. They also differ on the AA’s 12 steps and debate the role of labelling in mental health. Clarke is now the chair of the mental health charity Mind, where he is using his own experience to push for better support for others. Some elements of this episode reference suicide attempts and mental illness, which some listeners may find distressing. For support, Samaritans offers a free 24-hour helpline. Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

Why did Trump concede defeat so quickly and pledge to work with Democrats, and what does this mean for the final two years of his presidency, including his influence on the world stage? Was this a cost of living election defeat for Trump more than an outpouring of love for the Democrats, and will MAGA’s ‘America First’ worldview persist anyway? After the most highly funded election in American history, could there finally be bipartisan support for tackling the influence of extreme wealth and corruption in US politics? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Kevin Rudd by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! Subscribe to The New World from just £1 a week, and you get a free signed copy of Alastair's new book, Persevilience. And for £1 more, you get the award-winning magazine delivered every week. Go to thenewworld.co.uk/TRIP and sign up today! __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Bex Tyrrell Video Editor: Caroline Kaye, Oli Ortega, Lorcan Moullier Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne, Jake Preston Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What has Rory uncovered on the road through JD Vance country, and how did he feel attending a Trump MAGA rally? What is driving the wave of youth protests sweeping across Europe, and could we see similar unrest in the UK? What will be the political legacy of the late, great Patrick Stewart, and what was he really like? 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 Kevin Rudd by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles, Emma Jackson  Video Editor: Tom McCagherty, Jack Meek Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne, Jake Preston Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames Reporter: Isabelle Stanley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To hear the full episode, and the whole series, sign up at therestispolitics.com This week, Alastair sits down with someone who – in his opinion – is the most persevilient person in politics, Lord David Blunkett. Blind since birth, he lost his father at the age of 12 and grew up in a very poor household.  Despite this, he went on to become leader of Sheffield Council at 33, then MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, and a key architect of New Labour. You’ll hear how differently he experiences the world, not least in Westminster, why he thinks politics has before too ephemeral and why he never wants to be pitied.   Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Gabriela Gibbs  Producer: India Dunkley Assistant producer: Evie Townend Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Editorial Director: Emily Kent Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Alastair sits down with someone who – in his opinion – is the most persevilient person in politics, Lord David Blunkett. Blind since birth, he lost his father at the age of 12 and grew up in a very poor household.  Despite this, he went on to become leader of Sheffield Council at 33, then MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, and a key architect of New Labour. You’ll hear how differently he experiences the world, not least in Westminster, why he thinks politics has before too ephemeral and why he never wants to be pitied.   Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Gabriela Gibbs  Producer: India Dunkley Assistant producer: Evie Townend Executive Producer: Bella Soames  Editorial Director: Emily Kent Smith

Why are these US midterms so important, and what has Rory been seeing on the ground in Ohio? Could the Democrats really flip Texas, and is Trump alienating the Hispanic voters that were crucial to his 2024 victory? If the Republicans lose control of Congress, will Trump accept the result? Rory and Alastair are joined by Issy Stanley, reporting from Texas, as they answer all these questions and more in this week’s edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Michael Lewis by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! Sponsored by Lloyds. Learn how to avoid scams and protect yourself. See how Darkhorse® Anti-Fraud Technology helps keep you safe from fraud. Search Lloyds protect yourself from fraud. __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Bex Tyrrell Video Editor: Oli Ortega, Tom McCagherty Assistant Producer: Jake Preston, Daisy Alston-Horne Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames, Nicole Maslen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the UK’s new Chancellor, John Healey, announcing his first budget and Kemi Badenoch asking him, “is that it?”, how will the public judge his plans? With Lula making an historic return to Brazil’s presidency, was it the strength of his campaign or Bolsonaro Jr’s electoral gaffes in the leadership race that proved decisive? How did Aleksandar Vučić’s gamble on an early election backfire so spectacularly, and what does his shock defeat to a leaderless student movement tell us about just how unpredictable modern politics has become? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Michael Lewis by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! Sponsored by Lloyds. Lloyds Ready Made Investments. Choose your investing style-cautious, balanced or adventurous, and we'll do the rest. Search Lloyds Ready Made Investments. Investing involves risk. Value can fall as well as rise. __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles, Bex Tyrrell Video Editor: James Clayden, Caroline Kaye, Charlie Rodwell Assistant Producer: Jake Preston, Daisy Alston-Horne Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames, Nicole Maslen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we bring you one of Alastair’s favourite interviews. He’s joined by Kim Leadbeater MP, whose sister Jo Cox was murdered in 2016, and his lifelong friend Lindsay Nicholson, who lost her husband John and nine-year-old daughter Ellie to the same rare cancer. They discuss grief, breakdowns, anger and faith, why they disagree on assisted dying, and how to find hope when the worst has already happened. To hear the whole interview and the rest of Alastair's series on Persevilience, sign up at therestispolitics.com Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Producer: India Dunkley Assistant producer: Evie Townend Video Editor: Caroline Kay Social Producer: Celine Charles Executive Producer: Bella Soames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we bring you one of Alastair’s favourite interviews. He’s joined by Kim Leadbeater MP, whose sister Jo Cox was murdered in 2016, and his lifelong friend Lindsay Nicholson, who lost her husband John and nine-year-old daughter Ellie to the same rare cancer. They discuss grief, breakdowns, anger and faith, why they disagree on assisted dying, and how to find hope when the worst has already happened. Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Producer: India Dunkley Assistant producer: Evie Townend Video Editor: Caroline Kay Social Producer: Celine Charles Executive Producer: Bella Soames

What is at stake for Israelis and Palestinians in the upcoming parliamentary elections and, if Netanyahu loses, will anything actually change given the major parties reject a two state solution? Why does the IDF’s ‘bureaucracy of mass murder’ and its ‘NAZA’ collateral damage policy in Gaza feature so little in Israel’s domestic political debates? From Trump’s new press secretary’s disastrous five-day tenure, to the fallout from the Reform UK documentary, are we all now living in parallel political universes where scandals have less impact than they used to? 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 Mary Trump by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. Sponsored by Lloyds. The Lloyds £5k house deposit. If you have a deposit of £5k you could get on the ladder sooner than you think. Search £5k first time buyer. Subject to status. You could lose your home if you don't keep up your mortgage repayments. Conditions apply. 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected]__________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: James Clayden, Josh Smith Assistant Producer: Evie Townend, Daisy Alston-Horne, Jake Preston Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After another devastating week for Ukraine, is Trump now firmly on Putin’s side, and how much leverage does Elon Musk have over Zelensky’s war effort through his ownership of Starlink? With more civil unrest in France, what does this mean for a protest movement increasingly overshadowed by rioting, and could it play into Marine Le Pen’s hands ahead of next year's presidential election? What do we know about the attack on Australian MP Helen Haines, after she was hit by a car twice in what the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described as a “deliberate” act? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Mary Trump by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Sponsored by Lloyds. Get up to £400 in rewards. Apply for a Business Account by 30 November 2026. Search Lloyds Business Account. Eligability criteria and T&Cs apply. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter:@restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Caroline Kaye, Tom McCagherty, James Clayden, Bruno Di Castri Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne, Evie Townend, Jake Preston Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How has Alastair managed to come back from some of the darkest places in his life, overcoming a breakdown while in the public eye? Is his obsession with work unhealthy, or necessary to achieving great things and what does it cost his family and those around him? And, beyond the personal, could the word he invented, “Persevilience”, be the antidote to populism, polarisation and post-truth? Listen to Rory Stewart interviewing Alastair Campbell for part one of Persevilience where they discuss all of this and more. Producer: India Dunkley Assistant producer: Evie Townend Video Editor: Louis Mealing Social Producer: Emma Jackson Executive Producer: Bella Soames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Britain, we spend £25 on benefits for every £1 we spend helping young people find work. So why have successive governments failed to fix this – and what does Alan Milburn’s review, due this autumn, say needs to change? How have countries with the lowest youth unemployment rates tackled the issue, and what is the one intervention Andy Burnham’s government should put its money behind? How can we convince employers to take a chance on young people?  Rory and Alastair are joined by Alan Milburn as they answer all these questions and more in this week's edition of Question Time. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Andy Burnham by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Emma Jackson, Bex Tyrrell Video Editor: Bruno Di Castri, Lorcan Moullier Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne, Evie Townend Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How does Marco Rubio’s Parthenon speech fit the Trump administration’s ideas on European “civilisational erasure” – and how does it depart from traditional Republican rhetoric? With Pete Hegseth’s announcement of America’s first public execution since 1936 sparking outrage, are Trump’s likely successors, Vance and Rubio, staying loyal to their boss or quietly breaking from him? As Iran-backed Houthi attacks hit Saudi Arabia, can anyone predict Trump’s next move in the Middle East? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Enjoy Rory and Alastair’s interview with Andy Burnham by searching ‘Leading’ on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube. Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: [email protected] __________ Social Producer: Emma Jackson, Bex Tyrrell Video Editor: Caroline Kaye, Adam Thornton Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne, Evie Townend Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Bella Soames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Toby Ord has calculated that humans face roughly a 1-in-6 chance of being wiped out within the next century. What does he identify as the most likely cause of this? Why does he consider climate change a lesser risk than pandemics? And what would it take to get governments to take humanity’s vulnerability to these catastrophic risks seriously? This week, Rory Stewart is joined by moral philosopher, and founder of Giving What We Can, Toby Ord. Have you caught up on the rest of the series? So far Rory has spoke to Yuval Noah Harari, Carlo Rivelli and Edward Fishman. You can find all these episodes here, on your TRIP Plus feed. Producer: India Dunkley Assistant Producer: Evie Townend Video Editor: Louis Mealing Social Producer: Celine Charles Executive Producer: Bella Soames