I have already vlogged about my (and Barack Obama’s’) favourite book on politics, Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Her brilliant account of the political genius of Abraham Lincoln was already a hugely...
Read MoreInterviews. You might think it’s easy just to open and close your mouth and see what comes out, but as I come to the end of a day promoting the Time to Change report, I feel more understanding of the time TB said to me...
Read MoreI’m on my way to the BBC to go on Newsnight and talk about the Time to Change report on famous figures in history who had mental health problems. Jeremy Paxman has a reputation as a tough interrogator, but on the personal...
Read MoreWhen I was first persuaded to go on Facebook, I couldn’t really get the concept of online friends. But on Friday, something happened that made it click into place. I posted a status update about having just signed off a...
Read MoreWelcome to my website. And welcome to my first blog. I am a late convert to all this online malarkey but now the conversion has happened, I’ve decided to make a real go of it. I intend to use this site to bring together...
Read More
by
"Your country needs you. Your world needs you. Your time is now."
Our politics is a mess. We have leaders who can't or shouldn't be allowed to lead. We endure governments that lie, and seek to undermine our democratic values. And we are confronted with policies that serve the interests of the privileged few. It's no surprise that so many of us feel frustrated, let down and drawn to ask, 'But what can I do?' That question is the inspiration behind this book. It's a question regularly posed to Alastair Campbell, not least in reaction to The Rest is Politics, the chart-topping podcast he presents with former Tory Cabinet minister Rory Stewart. His answer, typically, is forthright and impassioned. We cannot afford to stand on the sidelines. If we think things need to change, then we need to change them, and that means getting involved. But What Can I Do? provides each of us with the motivation and the tools to make a difference. Opening with an acute analysis of our polarised world and the populists and extremists who have shaped it, it goes on to show how we help transform it. It explains how we can develop our skills of advocacy and persuasion. It draws on Alastair’s long experience, as well as on role models and lessons from history, to offer practical tips on starting and leading a campaign. It offers advice on developing confidence and coping with criticism and setbacks. And it sets out the practical steps by which we can become political players ourselves. Part call to arms, part practical handbook, But What Can I Do? will prove required reading for anyone who wants to help change things for the better.