How the queen, and an act of kindness by a stranger, have brought fond memories flooding back

A couple of weeks go, I wrote here setting out some tips for guarding against depression and anxiety. So far so good for me; indeed I am adapting to self-isolation perhaps too well! But I am aware ma... Continue

7 April 2020

Posted by Alastair Campbell

taking stock of government handling of the crisis so far … time for someone to get a grip …

I always write a lot, but at the moment, I seem to be in an unstoppable overdrive. That, insomnia, and really weird dreams in the few hours that I do sleep, seem to be the main side effects of the Co... Continue

5 April 2020

Posted by Alastair Campbell

Hard fact and detail beat rhetoric and SLOGAN EVERY TIME – 20 random observations on the crisis so far

If you've been here before, you will know this is not a new theme for me. But it is worth keeping going, not least for the message received from inside government yesterday, 'some of them are listeni... Continue

4 April 2020

Posted by Alastair Campbell

questions slightly better, answers worse – these briefings are not serving the public interest well

The daily Downing Street briefings are an important part of the Covid-19 crisis landscape. They are not serving the public well. Ministers are reading an already tired message script, giving some ... Continue

1 April 2020

Posted by Alastair Campbell

20 phrases that should be banished from Covid-19 briefings

Another day, after another night waking just after 3, and another idea for another 20-point list whirling around my head. This one was partly inspired by the weekend briefing by Business Secretary Al... Continue

30 March 2020

Posted by Alastair Campbell

a side effect of covid-19 – twentitis – I just can’t stop making lists of ’20 things …’

This Covid-19 crisis is changing everything. Another one - it is really weird how I am waking up every morning with an insatiable desire to make lists with 20 points on them. As Fiona often complains... Continue

29 March 2020

Posted by Alastair Campbell

twenty reasons to look on the bright side

OK, insomnia is not one of them, and this is a weird form of it - I am getting to bed early, feeling tired, but then waking around 3am, and though unable to get back to sleep not really feeling as ti... Continue

26 March 2020

Posted by Alastair Campbell

twenty tips for guarding against depression and anxiety in the era of self-isolation

Good morning fellow isolators … after last night’s announcement, it looks like we really are in it all together now.  I’ve pretty much been in self-isolation since Sport Relief eleven d... Continue

24 March 2020

Posted by Alastair Campbell

Time for johnson to get serious about crisis management skills. my twenty check points for his briefing team

This is an updated piece of my column in this week's New European. Updated because I wrote it a few days ago, since when so much has happened. At the time Boris Johnson was still deciding whether to ... Continue

21 March 2020

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.