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.

The post EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Alastair Campbell from The Rest Is Politics appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

My name is Adrian Brown, and I’m the Executive Director of the Centre for Public Impact. Reimagining Government is a new, six-part podcast, that explores radical new approaches to addressing global issues such as the climate crisis, equitable healthcare provision and rebuilding trust with marginalised communities. By speaking with public servants and politicians at the heart of government, we’re shining a light on how to reimagine government so that it works for everyone.

What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?

It is very difficult to remember, as I’ve been listening to podcasts for a long time. Some of the earliest were probably BBC radio programmes that have been issued as podcasts.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

It’s a brilliant way for us to reach new audiences and create engaging new forms of content. In addition, the challenges that governments are grappling with are so complex. Using a long-form format like this really allows us to dive into these topics more deeply, and to tell the stories of the people working hard to tackle them.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I particularly enjoy The Weeds, Vox’s podcast for politics and policy discussions.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who must be the world’s most inspirational public leader right now. Many people questioned his suitability to lead a country with his previous career as a comedian and actor. However, he’s proved to be a hugely inspiring public speaker, and a shining example of how to build the legitimacy that is vital for governments to achieve impact successfully.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

The importance of keeping the tone conversational and engaging.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Episode 1, which lays out a new vision for better government and what needs to be improved, is hard to beat!

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

Check out our website at www.centreforpublicimpact.org.

Listen to Reimagining Government on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

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This article was produced as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com.

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Are You Convinced? is the podcast from UK Youth where Ndidi Okezie (CEO of UK Youth) and Laura McInerney (Co-founder of Teacher Tapp) take turns to persuade each other to see an issue from another point of view. They cover a wide range of topics impacting children and young people – and at the end, ask guests to help settle the questions – “Are You Convinced?”. We spoke to Ndidi to find out more about the show…

Pod Bible: Why podcasting? What is it about the format that seemed like the right fit for this project?

Ndidi: Our audience are people who have very little time for themselves (much like us!) so we wanted the show in a format that could be listened to on-the-go. Podcasts are perfect for this, as you can have them playing in your car on a journey, or in your headphones when you are working out or walking the dog. You can also listen for a bit, pause the episode and dive back in later. This means people are more likely to engage in the issues framing the discussions, which is what we are aiming for.

Did you take inspiration from any podcasts in particular before you started?

I love podcasts so I would certainly say I took inspiration from the art form itself. Some of my favourites are How I Built This, Tim Ferriss, The Learning Leader and Start UP.

After the first series, have either of your opinions shifted? Or has this been an exercise in empathy?

I start from a genuine place of curiosity at the positioning of Laura’s propositions, we are authentically in two different places more times than not. But she is (frustratingly) utterly brilliant at making logical arguments and so it just depends how willing I am to go along with (often limiting) logic over a stubborn desire for more! Impact. But we both always walk away having learnt something new. Not just from each other but from our amazing guests. Our aim is to demonstrate that it’s important to understand different views and look at situations from various perspectives. And that you can be friends and not have the same opinion on everything.

The pair are reunited” can you quickly tell us what you worked on together prior to the podcast?

Laura and I go way back. We both started teaching via the charity Teach First and our paths have crossed for many years. When I had the vision of doing a debate style podcast, Laura was the perfect person to co-host with. Our first iteration of the concept was done when I was working at Pearson and called Go With Me On This. We are really excited to be back working together on Are You Convinced?

How have you found working together again?

It’s honestly one of the highlights of the month for me. Along with our Producer extraordinaire (Sarah Myles), we’ve all been doing this together for a few years now and we make a really great team. There is really something special here and we just hope we can get as many people to discover the show because they won’t be disappointed when they do.

We often ask if you have a dream guest, but I think in this instance it is more poignant to ask: who do you think most needs to hear these discussions?

We really want to bring professions that work with/for young people together. The goal of the show, is to debate topics from a diversity of lenses. Centering youth voices is a key feature for us and one we hope to use as a bridge to bring young people and the professionals who work with them together. Our guests are experts in their field and many have real front-line experiences of what challenges young people face, as well as the best methods for tackling these. It’s important that we provoke conversations so that people can work in a more joined up ways to create positive change.

Finally, are there any other podcasts you would recommend to learn more about some of the complex issues discussed?

Podcasts from media companies often engage in debates about key social issues. Shows like Moral Maze and the work of Sky news, The Guardian etc come to mind. We really do think that we’ve found a special nuance in the ability to use a debate/competition style format to discuss serious and controversial topics, so your readers are encouraged to check out Are You Convinced? and leave us a review letting us know what you think!

Listen to Are You Convinced? NOW on your favourite podcast app.

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