The Rest Is Politics 515. Starmer’s Foreign Aid Betrayal, Islamophobia & Australia’s Far Right (Question Time)
149 snips
Mar 26, 2026 A sharp tour through Britain’s foreign aid cuts, and why they are stirring such fierce backlash. The conversation then jumps to Australia, where a landslide win offers a striking counterpoint to far-right politics. There is also a tense look at how Islamophobia is being used in modern political strategy, plus a quick sweep across Brexit, big national projects, and a stack of timely book picks.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Labour Aid Cuts Go Further Than Austerity
- Rory Stewart argues Labour’s aid cut to 0.3% is harsher than austerity and takes UK development spending to its lowest level since 1970.
- He says once refugee costs inside Britain are excluded, real spend falls near 0.24%, below even Trump-era US levels.
Aid Cuts Also Weaken British Security
- Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart say cutting aid while boosting defence is a false trade-off because development reduces conflict and expands British soft power.
- They contrast Britain with Norway, Ireland, South Korea, Japan and Australia, all raising aid as China and Russia deepen influence abroad.
The Rejoin Debate Is Moving Into The Mainstream
- Alastair Campbell thinks the case for rejoining the EU is shifting from nostalgia to hard economics and visible Brexit damage.
- He cites Sadiq Khan, supportive remarks from Pedro Sánchez and Alexander Stubb, and Rachel Reeves putting the economic loss at 8%.
