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Europe needs to get real on defence; Britain needs to get real on Europe

Below is the text of a speech I am making this evening to the Labour Movement for Europe, urging a change in approach by Labour, to be bolder in the terms of the "reset" that is promised, clearer in ... Continue

Same fear that stalled a press inquiry drives Cameron’s hesitation on banking inquiry

I never fully understood why David Cameron fought so hard to resist an inquiry into the practices of the press. As the Leveson Inquiry has unfolded, the hesitation - finally overwhelmed by the tipping... Continue

1 July 2012

Cameron should take a greater interest in N Ireland – time Robinson and McGuinness were invited to country supper

It used to raise a few eyebrows when I said 'I really like Martin McGuinness', but now that The Queen has shaken him by the hand, with a big smile across her face, I feel less isolated in my view. He... Continue

29 June 2012

Don’t blame poor Chloe Smith for Osborne and Gove omnishambles

One of the more repellent aspects of the play POSH that I keep going on about is, as I said in this review in The Independent, the sexism of the young aristo Oxford Tory members of the Riot aka Bullin... Continue

27 June 2012

Great time on The Wright Stuff, and why I am renaming my diaries Fifty Shades of Power

I must admit to being a bit grouchy with Random House publicity for getting me up for another early start in order to spend much of the morning as a panellist on Channel 5's The Wright Stuff. I am not... Continue

26 June 2012

Could POSH become to Cameron’s government the satirical tag that SPIN became to TB’s?

An edited version of this piece appears in today's Independent. I have italicised the bigger chunks not in the Indy for any of you who may have read it already, so you can skip to those bits! Also qui... Continue

25 June 2012

Free research for anyone minded to follow up Independent on Sunday non-story splash

Based on a passage in my diary (clearly missed by The Guardian who serialised Burden of Power last week) The IoS has splashed with 'How Blair misled Cabinet on Iraq.' The Guardian were right to miss i... Continue

23 June 2012

Gove is playing fast and loose with education as a way of aiming even higher (for himself not kids)

As Michael Gove reflects on his latest intervention, what will have the greater impact on him as he surveys the weekend papers with his usual careful reading? ... the fact that he has annoyed huge nu... Continue

23 June 2012

Cameron has learned wrong lessons from TB: they should read the books more carefully

A version of this appears on The Huffington Post site today To the splendidly New Labour King’s Place on Monday, and an onstage interview with Steve Richards of the Independent as part of his ‘Po... Continue

21 June 2012

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.