EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Alastair Campbell from The Rest Is Politics

As a current politics student with a keen interest in podcasting I was delighted to be given the opportunity to work with Pod Bible via an Arts Emergency work experience placement. When I learnt I had the opportunity to interview Alastair Campbell, a huge name in UK political history and co-host of the podcast The Rest Is Politics, I couldn’t have been more amped.

The Rest Is Politics is hosted by both Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, both from two different sides of the political spectrum. Having first-hand experience in the Houses of Parliament, they give an exclusive outlook into British politics as well as politics abroad. The podcast is regularly at the top of the charts so I was eager to speak to Alistair about the show and curious to hear his thoughts about politics in general.

What was it like behind the scenes recording your first podcast episode with Rory Stewart?

We do most episodes online from separate places so “behind the scenes” generally involves me watching Rory struggle to get his headphones to work properly. To be fair the process works really well. We did one pilot just to make sure there was a good flow to the way we talk to each other, and there was, and off we went. We are very different in so many ways but we get on and enjoy the “craic.”

Do you think the podcast has challenged you in any way –  either technically or ideologically?

The only challenge really has been that as it has grown and developed it is probably eating into my diary more than I thought it would. We started off doing one discussion per week, and then added a q and a because we were getting so much positive feedback and questions. And now we do a weekly interview as well. I think it is fair to say the burden of pulling in the guests has fallen more to me! Added to which although we have good researchers and producers I like to do my own research on top. On the plus side it means that when I am reading and travelling and working on different things I can usually find an outlet within the podcast to talk about it all.

Are there any topics you refuse to discuss due to you and Rory’s differences in political opinion?

No. Nothing is off limits.

What do you think is the key to keeping young people engaged in politics? Are podcasts part of the answer?

I hope so. We have both been really encouraged by how many young people listen and also come to our events. When we did the Albert Hall last year over a third of the people who came were under 30. I think people have rarely been more interested in politics yet so disenchanted by what it is doing. So we are trying to show that it is possible for people to be interested, and passionate, and engage in debate without just shouting at each other. I was in a school the other day and listening to the students it struck me that all they have ever known is the politics of recent years which have been a disaster. Politics can be a force for good. We need to harness the passion and intelligence of young people to change the things they know are wrong in the world. I was already working on a book on this theme, But What Can I Do? when we started the podcast. The fact it was a No 1 bestseller at a time we were No 1 in the charts – as well as making me pleased – gave  me real encouragement that people want to be engaged but need support in finding out how.

Young people’s mental health is a big topic, particularly as students return to school and university. Is that something you’d like to discuss on the podcast?

We do from time to time. One of our best received podcasts was about a year ago. I was in Edinburgh and in the middle of a depressive episode. I hadn’t been planning to talk about it. But right at the start Rory asked me “how are you?” In a very small talk kind of way and I found myself explaining I wasn’t feeling great and we ended up having a really good discussion about it. I also think politicians are behind the public  on this one. Mental health is a massive issue with people yet still struggles to get onto the political agenda in the way it should.

In your sister show ‘Leading’ you speak to political figures – do you have a dream guest?

Well I have interviewed Prince William before – for GQ magazine. So I am going one higher up the royal ladder. King Charles! Rory knows him pretty well because he was a tutor to the boys when they were younger and recently told a very funny story about how he locked himself in a bathroom at Highgrove that doubled as an anti terrorism safety zone and Charles had to get help to get him out! I am not a big Monarchist and Rory is and I think Charles is  really interesting figure. To get him talking freely and openly about  things he cares about and the role he now plays would be fascinating.

I also have a bid in with Angela Merkel. She gives very few interviews. And I guess I would like to interview Putin to try to see how the mild mannered rather reticent character we dealt with 20 odd years became the figure he has become.

Actually thinking about it I would also love to interview the artist Banksy. Great mind. Great story.

Finally, what are your favourite podcasts to listen to away from the world of politics?

I listen to a lot of German podcasts because I am trying to get my German back to scratch. So I am going for two sports podcasts –  Prasenmäher (Bild) which is longform interviews with German football legends, and Auf den Punkt, which is done by Süddeutsche Zeitung. I should also mention The Rest Is Football because Gary Lineker is the boss of the company which produces TRIP!

Probably my favourite foreign policy podcast is Acht Milliarden which is done by Der Spiegel magazine. I quite often cite them on the Rest Is Politics.

Arts Emergency is an award-winning mentoring charity and support network. Find out more about their work at arts-emergency.org