The Rest Is Politics: Leading

What a couple of crooks on the make. Plenty of other good podcasts thankfully.

Alexander Technique Made Easy · GB

Great interview with Rahm Emanuel, and as always: your analysis afterwards is the best of it all. Thank you for that.

Anceaux · NL

Insightful and revealing interviews as always. I could have listened to Neil Kinnock all day, and the interview underlined yet again that he was the best PM we never had. Just a slight concern about the new look icon: you two besuited gents look the very essence of suave, but the positioning of Alistair's head obscures the 'e' in 'Leading' so it looks like 'Politics Fading' 🥴. I'm sure I can't be the only one seeing the image this way every time!

Polly Politic · GB

Please offer an interview to a rep from For Women Scotland. You have now given given significant airtime to their Supreme Court victory and the trans community’s response to it. Surely For Women Scotland deserve the right of reply.

Taffy Kathy · GB

Excellent respectful inquiring interview with President Vucic that drew out his view including of the ‘interventionist’ West. A textbook “10” on informing the audience of the interviewee’s views/perspective whilst respectfully disagreeing with some comments.

ACT Frankie · AU

Little insight, coupled with long and rambling questions to try to prove how smart the questioner is. Illustrative of how the British political establishment has lost its way

Way-It-Is · GB

What an amazing interview with Zelenskyy-well done

Francesanderson · GB

What an inspiration. Great episode thank you. Pity there are not more leaders cut from the same cloth. The world would be in a much better shape.

podnut64 · AU

Many thanks!

ZoomStrange · AU

A podcast that has picked up velocity by engaging world leaders whose first language is not necessarily English. It works. It offers a much-needed breadth of perspective beyond the reach of standard broadcasters. The hosts are considered, not gotcha merchants, and the conversation is at the level of real world decisions not theoretical soundbites. A chance to sit in on the kind of conversation many of us would like to have with these leaders. Good on you guys.

Bravo Daily team! · AU

I hope you do more interviews with Naz Shah, and Angela Rayner, because it’s quite a while ago that Rayner was interviewed. It certainly puts things on perspective when we hear their stories; it’d be nice to hear interviews with other people who have come through tough times and been inspired to get into politics. Anyway, I’m going to buy Naz’s book on Audible. She’s done her own recording of it and it’ll be a good one to listen to in the writer’s own voice, I think.

AlistairCandlin · GB

A very insightful interview - Sarah is very impressive.

Baba Lyn · NZ

This show is genuinely brilliant. Both presenters bring real knowledge, experience, and passion, and what makes it stand out is how they challenge each other from opposite sides without turning it into noise. Rory’s deep dives are fascinating, and Alastair explains things with such calm clarity that complex issues actually make sense. I wish more people in politics were like this, asking the right questions, doing the work, and focusing on real change instead of just shouting the loudest.

00Angeliki P 00 · GB

Some episodes (Kinnock springs to mind) are outstanding. Others are less good but still very interesting. And some are not worth the time or energy (Gove’s interview was simply awful, he was arrogant and condescending with no real sense he has ever learned or reflected). And some (Pompeo) I just can’t bring myself to listen to. Rory and Allistair’s interview style seems a bit hit and miss. I like the long form of the pod, it allows a real insight to the person being interviewed. But sometimes it’s a bit too cozy and all-boys club (I’m thinking the Gove interview) and sometimes it’s nasty and argumentative (Polanski). A better balance between the two would be appreciated. But where the pod really goes downhill is the almost constant ads. I’m not stupid, I know ads are needed to fund the pod. But I hate ads “disguised” as pod content, they’re dishonest and manipulative. Some of the ad breaks appear quite-literally mid sentence (this seems to have got worse recently as they’ve clearly moved them from the start of the pod to try and minimise ad skipping). And there are just far too many, each ad break is at least 2-3 minutes and there are several per episode. So dial back on the ads and be more consistent with the coziness / the snark.

Tabieth · GB

Thank you.

Buster1066 · AU

The greatest labour PM we never had. A real hero in the opposition to M Thatcher.

peterleha · GB

Thank you both.

chateau10 · AU

Brilliant episodes with Neil Kinnock. Wonderful orator, who has lost none of his magic. I could listen to him endlessly.

TIEITM · GB

A great podcast filled with good quality interviews. A more ‘slow news’ segment that offers more profound insights into politics and foreign policy today. I thought that Maya Sandu’s interview was by far the one of the best that I have heard in a while. An astute and nuanced perspective on Eastern Europe, without too much emotion or hyperbole. Also, an incredibly impressive persona. Thank you for your tireless work!

ashevetovska · GB

This is getting too thin for me. Started well, but less interesting guests and Rory’s hectoring style, trying to score points, have worn thin enough for me to leave. Shame really; it seems to have swapped quality for quantity.

Leapy Lee 351 · GB

I have been a regular listener for long and I enjoy your coverage and interviews but loved the session with Polanski. I was skeptical about greens and Zack and your interview made me change my mind. Very few politicians are authentic and bring their true self in public, showing their vulnerability, very few demonstrate how they have grown and have changed their mind openly and explain why. Zack clearly did that. I liked how Rory was trying the educate and make him aware on economy and if Zack is growing how he has so far he would reflect on that too.

Faraz JM · GB

Have very much liked the recent episodes with Gove, Polanski & Pompeo. I found myself loathing the first two and wanted to like the third. Polanski spoke well, is engaging and has an idea on his target state for the UK but has no clear plan on how to get from A to B. Which left me wondering, is he an actor playing the role of a politician?

cosmic tony 17 · GB

Subscribers dry

George Agdgdgdwango · GB

It’s a real skill to challenge an interviewee with wit and grace. Unfortunately, both these interviewers lack this skill, as becomes clear whenever they interview someone they disagree with (which is rare, but it does sometimes happen). I know this won’t be taken up - too much ego - but there are actually courses you can go on for this sort of thing.

ManonRails · GB

Live the show but,sorry, Polanski unlistenable to after 15 mins. Way too fast, get media training not excuses.

doublledd · AU