In a remarkably frank interview, former Conservative cabinet minister Rory Stewart has revealed a deeply personal side, discussing everything from his greatest fears to his disdain for social media vitriol and a surprising alternative career path.
A Political Life and Personal Reflections
Rory Stewart, the 53-year-old former MP for Penrith and The Border, has led a varied life in the public eye. Born in Hong Kong, he served as a Conservative MP from 2010 and held the position of Secretary of State for International Development. His political journey took a dramatic turn in 2019 when he launched an unsuccessful bid for the Tory leadership and later resigned from the party to stand as an independent in the London mayoral elections.
Today, he is perhaps best known as the co-host of the wildly popular podcast The Rest Is Politics alongside Alastair Campbell. He is also an acclaimed author, with works like The Places in Between and Politics on the Edge to his name. His latest book is titled Middleland. Stewart is married with two children and lives in London.
Candid Confessions and Quirky Insights
When asked about his greatest fear, Stewart's response was revealingly human. "I become very anxious if I think I've hurt someone," he admitted. This sensitivity extends to what he sees as his own worst trait: being too thin-skinned. The trait he most deplores in others is a "carelessness of truth and others."
His most embarrassing moment harks back to childhood: having his judo trousers pulled down during a competition at age seven, only to discover he wasn't wearing any pants underneath. On a more serious note, the worst things said to him now occur online, where on X (formerly Twitter) he is "regularly called a traitor, a fraud, a grifter, a weakling, a narcissist, a coward and a child molester."
Consequently, the superpower he would most like is "indifference to social media abuse." When faced with a choice between fame and anonymity, he chose anonymity, unless the fame was eternal.
From Dinosaurs to Monks: Unconventional Choices
Stewart's answers often blended the profound with the playful. If he could bring an extinct creature back to life, he would choose the Deinocheirus mirificus, a bizarre 30ft-long dinosaur thought to have a sail, giant claws, and feathers, which he amusingly described as moving "like Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars."
Perhaps his most telling revelation came when asked who he would be if not himself. His answer: "A monk." This desire for a contemplative life contrasts sharply with his high-profile public career. He also expressed profound shock at the way figures like Elon Musk use their wealth and influence, stating Musk "has used his wealth, brains and fame to foster the most damaging and hateful politics."
On a lighter note, his guiltiest pleasure is watching TV in the afternoon, and the single thing he believes would improve his quality of life is "living in a ski resort." The most important lesson life has taught him? "That I am not wise."
Stewart's interview paints a picture of a complex figure navigating life after frontline politics, grappling with the downsides of public life while finding new platforms for his voice and reflection.
