538. The Pope’s AI Warning and Alastair Reacts to Blair’s Attack

The Rest Is Politics

Goalhanger

News, Politics, Government

4.5 • 11.5K Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2026

⏱️ 67 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Is Pope Leo’s encyclical the most important contribution to the AI debate so far, and is he doing more to hold Silicon Valley to account than any Western government? What did Alastair say to Tony Blair about his explosive essay attacking the direction of Starmer’s government, the Labour Party, and net zero? Why does Rory think Blair is now closer to JD Vance than to the values that defined New Labour? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more. __________ Go deeper into the world of The Rest Is Politics by signing up for our free newsletter HERE, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and weekend reads from Alastair and Rory. Join The Rest Is Politics Plus. Start your free trial at therestispolitics.com to unlock exclusive bonus content – including Rory and Alastair’s miniseries – plus ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, exclusive newsletters, discounted book prices, and a private chatroom on Discord. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Stop overpaying for energy. Switch at fuseenergy.com/politics and get a free TRIP+ subscription. Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restispolitics It's risk-free with Nord's 30 day money back guarantee ✅ __________ Instagram: @restispolitics Twitter: @restispolitics Email: therestispolitics@goalhanger.com __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Josh Smith, James Clayden Assistant Producer: Daisy Alston-Horne Producer: Evan Green Exec Producer: Chris Sawyer General Manager: Tom Whiter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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0:00.0	Thanks for listening to The Restis Politics. To support the podcast, listen without the adverts and get early access to episodes and live show tickets, go to therestispolitics.com. That's the rest is politics.com.
0:13.5	The Pope's encyclical. It might be as important as anything that's been said. It was hard at times not to read that in the back of his mind was Trump, Vance, Musk, Netanyahu, Putin,
0:24.3	other world and tech leaders. AI is now developing as the biggest single thing in global politics,
0:31.0	economics. There are basically four different attitudes you can take. Except we can't do anything
0:36.2	about it. Trust the tech bros.
0:38.5	Believe that democratic institutions can shape it
0:40.4	or try to get Trump and others to stop it.
0:42.4	Blair's just put out this very controversial essay.
0:45.1	He's right that Labor needs to kick up the backside.
0:47.4	But if I had had a red pen,
0:49.1	there are quite a lot of changes and divisions I would have made.
0:53.0	This episode is brought you by Fuse Energy.
0:55.7	Fuse has introduced the tracker tariff designed to give customers what matters most from
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	...

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