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156. Defence Secretary, John Healey: Is Britain Ready For War?

What tactic did Donald Trump steal from Gordon Brown? What can we learn from when Labour beat UKIP in the 2012 Rotherham by-election when it comes to taking on Farage? As a New Labour alumnus... Continue

More Mr Benn and Co please

Some very good responses on Facebook to my obseration that Hilary Benn is a good speaker - pointing out he did a decent defence of the government on Question Time, others that he handled tricky quest... Continue

3 May 2009

Going Fourth with JP

Greetings from Keighley, my home town, where John Prescott and I have been out with Labour MP Ann Cryer, canidate to succeed her Jayne Thomas, and candidates for the European elections on June 4 (or... Continue

2 May 2009

Journalism – print first, think later

Following on from yesterday's rebuttal of the TB/AC anti-gay smear re the new poet laureate, I have another good example of 'print now, think later' for you. I mentioned I was at the Sport Industry A... Continue

2 May 2009

In praise of two poets

There was me, post Damian McBride, thinking that the media might rely a little less on anonymous briefings (sometimes so anonymous as to exist only in the imagination of the journalist), but I got in... Continue

1 May 2009

JP hits the road again

You can take the man out of the leadership, but you can't take the leadership out of the man. Oh, he will love that one will John Prescott. He always had a soft spot for my soundbite-crafting. He jus... Continue

29 April 2009

My night with Eddie Izzard

A prediction - Eddie Izzard will be an elected Labour politician within a decade. First, because he wants to be (probably the European Parliament, and he has given himself 15 years rather than ten).... Continue

29 April 2009

Explaining the 50p top tax rate

I'm out at an event with Eddie Izzard later, one of a series the Labour-supporting entertainer is doing to help the Party. And I've been thinking - how best to deal with questions about the 50p tax r... Continue

28 April 2009

George Best and Martin McGuinness

Terrific play on BBC2 last night about George Best's family. His mother was the main character, her descent into alcoholism a parallel to his rise to fame. Mrs Best did not taste alcohol till the age... Continue

27 April 2009

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.