The Rest Is Politics: The Special Relationship
Goalhanger's leading political voices unite on the Royal Festival Hall stage to debate the US-UK relationship, democracy, and the forces reshaping Western politics in 2026.
Why we picked this
A rare stage crossover between the UK and US arms of The Rest Is Politics, arriving at a moment when the special relationship is being redefined in real time.
The Rest Is Politics has become the most listened-to political podcast in the UK, with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart anchoring a conversation that has drawn in millions of listeners who want political analysis without the tribal noise of partisan media. The American counterpart, The Rest Is Politics: US, brings similar values to the Washington context. This special live show brings voices from both together on the Royal Festival Hall stage to examine the transatlantic relationship that has shaped Western foreign policy since 1945 — and that is currently under considerable strain.
The event forms part of Goalhanger: The Rest Is Fest (4–6 September 2026), the three-day Southbank Centre festival that is one of the landmark events of the venue’s 75th anniversary year. Other shows across the weekend include The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Money, and The Rest Is Science, each making its own case for what a live festival of ideas looks and sounds like.
The special relationship — between the US and UK governments, between populist movements on both sides of the Atlantic, between democratic institutions and the forces testing them — is the subject this evening is built around. It is the kind of conversation that benefits from being had in public, in front of an audience that can push back.