The Real Reasons Populism Is Taking Over

Apr 2, 2026 20 min

About this episode

What is populism, and why is it so attractive to voters? Which human instincts do populists tap into to get votes? And what does a populist-led country look like? Alastair is joined by Liam Byrne, MP who served in both Blair and Brown's government, and who has been conducting deep research into the rise of populism. To hear the full episode, sign up at therestispolitics.com Instagram: ⁠@restispolitics⁠ Twitter: ⁠@restispolitics⁠ Email: ⁠therestispolitics@goalhanger.com⁠ __________ Social Producer: Celine Charles Video Editor: Kieron Leslie Producer: India Dunkley Exec Producer: Tom Whiter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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