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Politics

The Rest is Politics and Alistair Campbell

207 replies

Mixymaxymoxy · 20/10/2026 12:14

Why do you think The Rest is Politics is so popular? And how did everyone forgive Alistair Campbell for his role in the Iraq war?

I did enjoy it to begin with - for political gossip and Rory’s experience of travelling and working abroad and in government. But over time I have found them unbearably, insufferably smug, and their take on women’s issues gives me rage. Laughing about how useless they are at home, what selfish dads and partners they are / were, then utterly it as an issue.

I didn’t march against the Iraq war, wasn’t in the UK at the time. But Campbell was utterly loathed by many for his role in it. How has he been so thoroughly redeemed? They are topping the podcast charts, filling huge venues and making an absolutely fortune. What’s the appeal?

OP posts:
BoredZelda · 22/10/2026 10:50

Cartoonmouse · 22/10/2026 10:06

Alison Pearson and Liam Hallighan are not "far right " 🤣. In fact Alison is big on free speech and rights of the individual against the police particularly given what happened to her. So not really passing the definition of far right. They are on the centre right though.

She’s so for “free speech” she sued someone for exercising “free speech”. The police investigated a report of a crime. Their conduct was reviewed and found to be entirely in line with proper police procedures. They also found she had given a false account of the police visiting her..

Much later, after a podcast interview given by the police commissioner, she sued him because he talked about issues surrounding the case. If you actually read the transcript of the interview, he was saying he didn’t think pursuing these cases was a good use of police time. The case was won by Pearson on the slimmest of legal margins around the definition of a handful of words. Nonetheless, she received an apology and a payout.

Let’s not forget, the whole thing started because Pearson tweeted an entirely false accusation about the police, based on a photograph she hadn’t even taken the time to verify. As a journalist she believes free speech allows her to do that. Seems she actually wants “speech free of consequences”

BIossomtoes · 22/10/2026 10:53

Amythomas · 22/10/2026 10:31

What Covid conspiracies and misinformation was she pushing exactly?

Google is your friend. ☺️

Amythomas · 22/10/2026 10:53

BIossomtoes · 22/10/2026 10:53

Google is your friend. ☺️

Cop out.

BoredZelda · 22/10/2026 10:59

Amythomas · 22/10/2026 10:31

What Covid conspiracies and misinformation was she pushing exactly?

Fraudulent cases, doesn’t affect children, photos were staged, there was no pandemic. All entirely provably untrue.

EscCtrl · 22/10/2026 11:16

Amythomas · 22/10/2026 10:31

What Covid conspiracies and misinformation was she pushing exactly?

I don't think she deliberately intended to spread mis-information. The statistics johnnies on this website think she does not understand time lags, and it seems she was unable to calculate a percentage:
https://fullfact.org/online/Allison-Pearson-Covid-stats-hospital/

I was against the lockdowns BTW. I too don't like the government and the pigs telling me what to do.

Won't catch me joining up with the sheeple in the army who went and fought that illegal war in Iraq. Who were only obeying orders.

Allison Pearson tweets misleading stats about Covid hospital patients – Full Fact

Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson’s calculation of Covid hospitalisation rate is flawed in multiple ways.

https://fullfact.org/online/Allison-Pearson-Covid-stats-hospital/

Amythomas · 22/10/2026 11:16

BoredZelda · 22/10/2026 10:59

Fraudulent cases, doesn’t affect children, photos were staged, there was no pandemic. All entirely provably untrue.

That list is so vague and without detail, I'm not sure how anyone could prove it was wrong or not.

BIossomtoes · 22/10/2026 11:18

Amythomas · 22/10/2026 11:16

That list is so vague and without detail, I'm not sure how anyone could prove it was wrong or not.

No pandemic wasn’t wrong? 🤯

dwordle · 22/10/2026 11:20

Those who think COVID was a conspiracy should have a look at the deaths register. So bad was the pandemic it lowered life expectancy figures for the UK.

I got it very badly and spent 6 months in hospital and many many people on my ward didn't make it. I still have no sense of smell and I can taste very little and suffer now from regular chest infections.

Up until that point I was healthy. So please stop spreading lies about COVID. It was horrific and killed many many people.

Lifeomars · 22/10/2026 11:30

BIossomtoes · 22/10/2026 08:56

Allison Pearson centrist? I bet even she wouldn’t agree with that.

i think she would be outraged!

EscCtrl · 22/10/2026 11:34

dwordle · 22/10/2026 11:20

Those who think COVID was a conspiracy should have a look at the deaths register. So bad was the pandemic it lowered life expectancy figures for the UK.

I got it very badly and spent 6 months in hospital and many many people on my ward didn't make it. I still have no sense of smell and I can taste very little and suffer now from regular chest infections.

Up until that point I was healthy. So please stop spreading lies about COVID. It was horrific and killed many many people.

I don't think people are denying COVID killed a lot of people. Boris "rabbit in the headlights" Johnson's lockdowns were an over-reach of state control.

Lifeomars · 22/10/2026 11:35

In defence of AC and RS (ducks for cover), I watched their interview with Mary Trump last night and it was compelling viewing. Mary Trump was as always, an excellent guest and fascinating to listen to so they were at an advantage by having her in the studio but it was a great watch.

Amythomas · 22/10/2026 11:36

BIossomtoes · 22/10/2026 11:18

No pandemic wasn’t wrong? 🤯

What on earth are you on about?

Abra1t · 22/10/2026 11:36

Lifeomars · 22/10/2026 11:35

In defence of AC and RS (ducks for cover), I watched their interview with Mary Trump last night and it was compelling viewing. Mary Trump was as always, an excellent guest and fascinating to listen to so they were at an advantage by having her in the studio but it was a great watch.

I can imagine they'd be good on something like this.

It's anything to do with gender, women, children that their innate male-centred thinking becomes obvious.

Cartoonmouse · 22/10/2026 11:41

BoredZelda · 22/10/2026 10:50

She’s so for “free speech” she sued someone for exercising “free speech”. The police investigated a report of a crime. Their conduct was reviewed and found to be entirely in line with proper police procedures. They also found she had given a false account of the police visiting her..

Much later, after a podcast interview given by the police commissioner, she sued him because he talked about issues surrounding the case. If you actually read the transcript of the interview, he was saying he didn’t think pursuing these cases was a good use of police time. The case was won by Pearson on the slimmest of legal margins around the definition of a handful of words. Nonetheless, she received an apology and a payout.

Let’s not forget, the whole thing started because Pearson tweeted an entirely false accusation about the police, based on a photograph she hadn’t even taken the time to verify. As a journalist she believes free speech allows her to do that. Seems she actually wants “speech free of consequences”

She’s so for “free speech” she sued someone for exercising “free speech”.

Please can you explain what you mean?

Amythomas · 22/10/2026 11:44

BoredZelda · 22/10/2026 10:50

She’s so for “free speech” she sued someone for exercising “free speech”. The police investigated a report of a crime. Their conduct was reviewed and found to be entirely in line with proper police procedures. They also found she had given a false account of the police visiting her..

Much later, after a podcast interview given by the police commissioner, she sued him because he talked about issues surrounding the case. If you actually read the transcript of the interview, he was saying he didn’t think pursuing these cases was a good use of police time. The case was won by Pearson on the slimmest of legal margins around the definition of a handful of words. Nonetheless, she received an apology and a payout.

Let’s not forget, the whole thing started because Pearson tweeted an entirely false accusation about the police, based on a photograph she hadn’t even taken the time to verify. As a journalist she believes free speech allows her to do that. Seems she actually wants “speech free of consequences”

You know full well this is utter bollocks and Alison Pearson was actually awarded damages by the Essex Police for their disproportionate handling of the whole thing.

pressgazette.co.uk/news/police-and-crime-commissioner-to-pay-allison-pearson-substantial-damages/

dwordle · 22/10/2026 12:05

EscCtrl · 22/10/2026 11:34

I don't think people are denying COVID killed a lot of people. Boris "rabbit in the headlights" Johnson's lockdowns were an over-reach of state control.

If we hadn't have locked down when we did a lot more would have died. Hospitals need capacity not just to deal with people getting ill from COVID big also to deal with people that just need medical care....once a hospital runs out of capacity people die .

The state has control and must make those decisions when it's needed. Your rights are non existent in an emergency and if you can't accept that having restrictions to save people's lives then I'm lost for words. What on earth would you have done in the second world war....refuse to turn your lights off and let your street be bombed because it's your right.

EscCtrl · 22/10/2026 12:52

dwordle · 22/10/2026 12:05

If we hadn't have locked down when we did a lot more would have died. Hospitals need capacity not just to deal with people getting ill from COVID big also to deal with people that just need medical care....once a hospital runs out of capacity people die .

The state has control and must make those decisions when it's needed. Your rights are non existent in an emergency and if you can't accept that having restrictions to save people's lives then I'm lost for words. What on earth would you have done in the second world war....refuse to turn your lights off and let your street be bombed because it's your right.

I don't believe a lot more would have died if it were not for mandatory lockdowns, compared to the government asking for voluntary changes in behaviour. I mostly complied with the lockdowns, at times because I was protecting elderly loved ones, and at other times because I feared the threat of arrest, financial penalty, or imprisonment.

As for the hypothetical, in WW2 I would have probably mostly complied with the law, but probably would have bought/sold on the black market, like a lot of people did. I might even have thought about shagging a Yank while my husband was away.

May I ask how would you have behaved during WW2 if say you were in the RAF and asked to bomb civilians?

BIossomtoes · 22/10/2026 13:00

May I ask how would you have behaved during WW2 if say you were in the RAF and asked to bomb civilians?

Ridiculous comparison. You’d have been court-martialled and imprisoned if you’d refused. And you wouldn’t have signed up in the first place.

SerendipityJane · 22/10/2026 13:18

May I ask how would you have behaved during WW2 if say you were in the RAF and asked to bomb civilians?

Why go back to a time when no one can reply ?

A better question might be around soldiers deployed to Northern Ireland. I'll leave you to reframe it as you see fit.

EscCtrl · 22/10/2026 13:33

BIossomtoes · 22/10/2026 13:00

May I ask how would you have behaved during WW2 if say you were in the RAF and asked to bomb civilians?

Ridiculous comparison. You’d have been court-martialled and imprisoned if you’d refused. And you wouldn’t have signed up in the first place.

"Will you stop talking about the war."
"Me? You started it."
"We did not start it."
"Yes you did; You invaded Poland."

Sorry it was another hypothetical question about WW2, like yours, which I enjoyed, imagining what I would have done in WW2; it was an interesting test of character.

you wouldn’t have signed up in the first place
They wouldn't have had me. In WW2 there was male conscription, so a lot of people didn't have a choice about military service; well I suppose the alternative to conscription was prison.

The RAF deliberately targeted and bombed civilians; was it justified? Imagine, hypothetically, how do people act when the state and everyone/most around them would have been telling them it was necessary in order to defeat the Nazis.

EscCtrl · 22/10/2026 13:40

SerendipityJane · 22/10/2026 13:18

May I ask how would you have behaved during WW2 if say you were in the RAF and asked to bomb civilians?

Why go back to a time when no one can reply ?

A better question might be around soldiers deployed to Northern Ireland. I'll leave you to reframe it as you see fit.

Sorry I went back to WW2 because @BIossomtoes asked a hypothetical question about WW2, and I was so unimaginative to frame my question in terms of WW2.

I'll leave you to reframe whatever question you like in whatever time you like. I don't take instruction very well, it's kind of a Bolshie trait of mine.

What did you do in the COVID?

JuliaAgrippina · 22/10/2026 13:50

It's one of mnay potical sytle podcats I sometime listen to - sometime they do seem well informed and insightful other subjects they seem very ill informed on - last US election being one and women's right another.

Their closeness to power and the insights into government and how it and how poltical parties in UK operate are reason to listen to them - I do not have to agree with everything someone thinks or all their past actions to listen to them or work out if I think they have a point.

LizzieW1969 · 22/10/2026 13:50

dwordle · 22/10/2026 11:20

Those who think COVID was a conspiracy should have a look at the deaths register. So bad was the pandemic it lowered life expectancy figures for the UK.

I got it very badly and spent 6 months in hospital and many many people on my ward didn't make it. I still have no sense of smell and I can taste very little and suffer now from regular chest infections.

Up until that point I was healthy. So please stop spreading lies about COVID. It was horrific and killed many many people.

That’s really awful, I'm so sorry you went through that. I had COVID badly, though never in hospital. But I ended up with Long COVID, back in 2020, and I'm only just this year starting to regain some of my previous strength.

Conspiracy theories about COVID really annoy me.

Abhannmor · 22/10/2026 13:56

ErrolTheDragon · 20/10/2026 12:53

Rory isn’t a ‘Tory’ in the sense the word is often used now - he’s a ‘one nation Conservative’. Similarly Campbell is New Labour rather than a socialist. It’s not surprising that there’s a lot of agreement between them - there should be a centre ground where consensus is possible.
Having a pair from further towards the wings of their parties would be a different type of conversation which might be more interesting but perhaps would shed more heat than light.

Rory larps as a nice One Nation Tory. The mask slipped when he was so condescending to Gary Stephenson. The privilege is bred in the bone. Alister is an unreconstructed Blairite. Both hopeless on women's issues.

BIossomtoes · 22/10/2026 14:58

They wouldn't have had me. In WW2 there was male conscription, so a lot of people didn't have a choice about military service; well I suppose the alternative to conscription was prison.

Women were conscripted in 1942, my mother was one of them.