Happy Monday from Manchester where apparently politics is the new stadium rock.
Last night, Sunday evening was another sold out show for pal and associate Alastair Campbell with Rory Stewart.
The Rest Is Politics Live has now spent three weeks zig-zagging around the UK like a touring boyband, like the good old Ronan Keating days but significantly more references to geopolitics, TRUMP, coups, constitutional crises, BBC standards and even more book sales.
We also talked about trouble at Number 10, the future of Keir and who is Andy Burnham?
Well done Rory with the new book, just in time for Christmas.
My good friends at Goldhanger are now the world’s biggest podcast company and are gently behind the magic has clearly bottled something rare a 90 minute political analysis that’s actually entertaining and very occasionally hilarious, excluding the bagpipes.
Somewhere between discussions on Gaza, Ukraine, China, Russia and who really runs Britain, I managed to update the guys on an ongoing Irish podcast drama and the fall out.
The Rest Is Politics has 65 million downloads every month and growing. Its 50 million audio, 15 million video, because who doesn’t love watching people argue politely? And the audience? Electrifying.
Last night another full house. Engaged. Laughing. Voting. Shouting just like real politics.
At one point they even held a live vote and decided Alastair should be the next Director General of the BBC.
Rory took it well.
Sort of.
So if you need a reminder that the world is surreal, unpredictable and occasionally very funny here it is.
Politics can be messy, but apparently it sells out theatres and is coming to Dublin and Belfast in March. All sold out.
Have a great week and if anyone sees Ivan Yates tell him I have great notes.
