RIP Alan Keen MP, a real football man in the corridors of power
Another sad death in the political world today, with the news of the passing of the Labour MP for Feltham and Heston, Alan Keen. I first got to know Alan when he and his wife Ann, also an MP, were pa... Continue14 November 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
The economic costs of our failure to treat addiction
A brief word on the conference on addiction I spoke at in Ireland yesterday, and the visit to Toranfield House, which helps recovering addicts. First though, a tourism plug. County Wicklow has some ... Continue11 November 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Cameron and Osborne could do worse than call in Brown and Darling for a private chat
I was speaking at a dinner last night to businessmen and women who know a lot more about how the economy works than I do. So I was a bit alarmed to see how many were nodding along when I suggested tha... Continue10 November 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Philip Gould, the best listener in politics
With thanks to The Guardian for asking me to pen a tribute to Philip for today's paper, and thanks also for the headline, below is the piece I wrote. Yesterday was a pretty wretched day for his many... Continue8 November 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
It is Philip Gould the friend and the positive life force I mourn today
Even when he entered what he called 'the death zone', Philip Gould brought hope and happiness to others - not accidentally, but deliberately, as one of his final, and selfless, acts of strategy. He wa... Continue7 November 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
25 reasons why Sir Alex Ferguson is the greatest manager of all time
Fiona and I are on the way to Manchester for a dinner to celebrate Alex Ferguson's 25th anniversary as Manchester United manager. Partly in response to a few tweets and messages asking why I hadn't bl... Continue6 November 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Rarely can the summit smiles, backslaps and trumpeteering have seemed so incongruous
I suppose our leaders have to do that smiling thing as they arrive at summits (though I can't think they and we would all be happier if a lot of the ceremonials were scrapped, the trumpeteers confined... Continue3 November 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
Did nobody at the eurozone crisis summit ask Papandreou about the R-word?
Did the word 'referendum' cross anyone's mind, let alone anyone's lips, at the eurozone crisis summit last week? It certainly didn't appear in any of the coverage I read. Could it be, once more, that... Continue1 November 2011
Posted by Alastair Campbell
About time too – government recognising public money sometimes needed to get private money flowing
No cliche is being left unturned to emphasise the Prime Minister's determination to kickstart the sluggish economy. He is straining every sinew. He has found his passion (er ... again). He is on an al... Continue31 October 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.