Whacking public services now a clear political strategy to match economic strategy of cuts
I was surprised there were no ministers at the Local Government Awards organised by the Municipal Journal last night. It was one of those events at which, if memory serves me right, Labour always trie... Continue24 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
From Dream school to a real school making a real difference; and meeting Big Brother Lansley
Why did it have to be Piers Morgan who spotted the spelling error - I am OBSESSED about spelling - in my tweet from a school in Harrow? No, not that school in Harrow, but St Gregory's Catholic Science... Continue22 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
I hope someone asks Cameron about Guardian splash on mental health at his press conference
Like many mental health campaigners, I gave Nick Clegg the benefit of the doubt when he outlined the government's strategy for mental health in February. To save you reading the whole thing, here is ... Continue21 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
A new version of an old Cliff Richard song could be biggest feelgood dampener yet
It is always wise to be a little suspicious of stories which emerge from private sector surveys, particularly if designed as what journalists in the pre no-deadline online age used to call a 'Sunday f... Continue20 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Union and public anger fuelled by the feeling that we’re not really all in this together at all
Simon Kuper, best known for his writings on sport, has an excellent column in the FT magazine today. It is never easy to reduce a rich column to a sentence or two, but his main point is that in our ce... Continue18 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
In defence of politics – a lecture worth reading, from a rather lonely voice
Welcome to what is surely the longest blogpost put up here since I started blogging some time ago. It certainly has the longest paragraphs, but bear with me - that's what happens when you get academic... Continue17 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
On Osborne’s speech, Peston’s tie, and Labour’s need to unpick Tory argument on the past
The noise surrounding it would suggest George Osborne made an important speech last night. Northern Rock sell-off and banking reform seemed to take most of the coverage, big ticket items both. So for... Continue16 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
As Yardy takes another break, Boycott shows he is beginning to understand depression is an illness
Back in March, more in sorrow than in anger, I wrote a blogpost critical of my childhood hero Geoffrey Boycott, who had some some rather insensitive things about Michael Yardy, who had come home from ... Continue15 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
A figure from our past emerges to tell a wonderful Titanic tale
A long time ago a man named Christopher Ward became a very important person in my life. I have often thought that if my meeting with him 30-odd years ago had not gone so well, I might never have becom... Continue14 June 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Alastair Campbell is a writer, communicator and strategist best known for his role as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and strategy. Still active in politics and campaigns in Britain and overseas, he now splits his time between writing, speaking, broadcasting, charities and consultancy.