
Alastair John Campbell is a British journalist, author, strategist, broadcaster, and activist, who is known for his political roles during Tony Blair's leadership of the Labour Party. Campbell worked as Blair's spokesman and campaign director in opposition (1994–1997), then as Downing Street Press Secretary, and as the Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson (1997–2000). He then became Downing Street's director of communications and spokesman for the Labour Party (2000–2003). Since his work for Blair, Campbell has continued to act as a freelance advisor to a number of governments and political parties, including Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania. He was an adviser to the People's Vote campaign, campaigning for a public vote on the final Brexit deal. He is the editor-at-large of The New European and chief interviewer for GQ. He acts as a consultant strategist and as an ambassador for Time to Change and other mental health charities. Throughout his time in Downing Street, Campbell kept a diary which reportedly totalled some two million words. Selected extracts, titled The Blair Years, were published in 2007. He expressed an intention to publish the diaries in fuller form, which he did from 2010 to 2018. In 2019, Campbell was expelled from the Labour Party after voting for the Liberal Democrats in that month's European elections. In 2022, Campbell launched the podcast The Rest Is Politics with Rory Stewart, which has been the top politics podcast in the UK in the Apple rankings since its launch.
How do sportsmen excel, entrepreneurs thrive, or individuals achieve the ambitions? Is their ability to win innate? Or is the winning mindset something we can all develop?In the tradition of The Talent Code and The Power of Habit, Campbell draws on the wisdom of an astonishing array of talented people—from elite athletes to media mavens, from rulers of countries to rulers of global business empires.Alastair Campbell has conducted in-depth interviews and uses his own experience in politics and sport to get to the heart of success. He examines how winners tick. He considers how they build great teams. He analyzes how these people deal with unexpected setbacks and new challenges. He judges what the very different worlds of politics, business, and sport can learn from one another. And he sets out a blueprint for winning that we can all follow to achieve our goals.
'Your country needs you. Your world needs you. Your time is now.'Our politics is a mess. Leaders who can't or shouldn't be allowed to lead. Governments that lie, and seek to undermine our democratic values. 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 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 created it, it goes on to show how we can effect change for the better. It explains how we can develop our skills of advocacy and persuasion. It draws on Alastair's long experience to offer practical tips on putting together and leading a campaign team. It provides priceless 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 make a difference.
Last Christmas I almost killed myself. Almost. I've had a lot of almosts. Never gone from almost to deed. Don't think I ever will. But it was a bad almost.Living Better is Alastair Campbell's honest, moving and life affirming account of his lifelong struggle with depression. It is an autobiographical, psychological and psychiatric study, which explores his own childhood, family and other relationships, and examines the impact of his professional and political life on himself and those around him. But it also lays bare his relentless quest to understand depression not just through his own life but through different treatments. Every bit as direct and driven, clever and candid as he is, this is a book filled with pain, but also hope -- he examines how his successes have been in part because of rather than despite his mental health problems -- and love. We all know someone with depression. There is barely a family untouched by it. We may be talking about it more than we did, back in the era of 'boys don't cry' - they did you know - and when a brave face or a stiff upper lip or a best foot forward was seen as the only way to go. But we still don't talk about it enough. There is still stigma, and shame, and taboo. There is still the feeling that admitting to being sad or anxious makes us weak. It took me years, decades even to get to this point, but I passionately believe that the reverse is true and that speaking honestly about our feelings and experiences (whether as a depressive or as the friend or relative of a depressive) is the first and best step on the road to recovery. So that is what I have tried to do here.
A revelatory account of Tony Blair’s tumultuous leadership, The Blair Years gathers extracts from the diaries of the man who knew him Alastair Campbell—Blair’s spokesman from 1994 to 2003, his press secretary, strategist, and closest confidant. It is a compelling chronicle of contemporary British politics and the rise of New Labour, providing the first important record of a remarkable decade in Britain’s history.Here are the defining events of the time, from the Labour Party’s new dawn to the war on terror; from the death of Princess Diana to negotiations for peace in Northern Ireland; from Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq to the Hutton Inquiry of 2003, the year Campbell resigned his position. Here also are Blair’s relationships with world leaders and heads of state, including presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. But above all, here is Tony Blair up close and personal, making the decisions that affected the lives of millions, under relentless and frequently hostile pressure.Often described as the second most powerful figure in Britain, Alastair Campbell is no stranger to controversy. Feared and admired in equal measure, hated by some, he was pivotal to the founding of New Labour and the sensational election victory of 1997. Campbell spent more waking hours alongside the prime minister than anyone, and his diaries—at times brutally frank, often funny, always engrossing—take the reader right to the heart of government.The Blair Years is a story of politics in the raw, of progress and setback, of reputations made and destroyed, under the relentless scrutiny of a 24-hour media. Unflinchingly told, it covers the crises and scandals, the rows and resignations, the ups and downs at No. 10 Downing Street. But amid the landmark events are insights and observations that make this a remarkably human portrayal of some of the most influential people in the world.A completely riveting book about life at the very top, told by a man who saw it all.
Alastair Campbell’s powerful first novel is a gripping portrait of the strange dependency between patient and doctor.Martin Sturrock desperately needs a psychiatrist. The problem? He is one.Emily is a traumatized burn victim; Arta a Kosovan refugee recovering from a rape. David Temple is a long term depressive, while the Rt. Hon. Ralph Hall MP lives in terror of his drinking problem being exposed. Very different Londoners, but they share one every week they spend an hour at the Prince Regent Hospital, revealing the secrets of their psyche to Professor Martin Sturrock. Little do they know that Sturrock’s own mind is not the reassuring place they believe it to be. For years he has hidden in his work, ignoring his demons. But now his life is falling apart, and as his ghosts come back to haunt him, the only person he can turn to is a patient.Set over a life-changing weekend, Alastair Campbell’s astonishing first novel is both a comedy and tragedy of ordinary lives. It is rich in compassion for those whose days are spent on the edge of the abyss.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.1 ⭐
As Alastair Campbell said in the introduction to The Blair Years , it was always his intention to publish the full version, covering his time as spokesman and chief strategist to Tony Blair. Prelude to Power is the first of four volumes, and covers the early days of New Labour, culminating in their victory at the polls in 1997.Volume 1 details the extraordinary tensions between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown as they resolved the question as to which one should stand to become Labor leader. It shows that right from the start, relations at the top were prone to enormous strain, suspicions and accusations of betrayal. Yet it also shows the political and personal bonds that tied them together, and which made them one of the most feared and respected electoral machines anywhere in the world.A story of politics in the raw, Prelude to Power is above all an intimate, detailed portrait of the people who have done so much to shape modern history.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 3.8 ⭐
Are you happy? Does it matter?Increasingly, governments seem to think so. As the UK government conducts its first happiness survey, Alastair Campbell looks at happiness as a political as well as a personal issue; what it should mean to us, what it means to him. Taking in economic and political theories, he questions how happiness can survive in a grossly negative media culture, and how it could inform social policy. But happiness is also deeply personal. Campbell, who suffers from depression, looks in the mirror and finds a bittersweet reflection, a life divided between the bad and not-so-bad days, where the highest achievements in his professional life could leave him numb, and he can somehow look back on a catastrophic breakdown twenty-five years ago as the best thing that happened to him. He writes too of what he has learned from the recent death of his best friend, further informing his view that the pursuit of happiness is a long game.Originally published as part of the Brain Shots series, the pre-eminent source for high-quality, short-form digital non-fiction.
A drink makes me feel better. For a bit. And then I feel worse, and the pain inside comes back. Worse than ever. My name is Hannah. 'To be or not to be, ' that's the most fundamental choice of all, and the one I have to make now. Only I can make it, I have learned that much, and I know what it is
A football manager in the 70s is struggling to keep his team and his job together when an away game brings him to London, where the shadow of IRA terrorism stirs - a gripping read for fans of Peter James, John Grisham and Robert Harris. Football manager Charlie Gordon is struggling with one defeat after another at the club he loves. Only a decent Cup run is keeping him in work, but tensions are running close to the surface ahead of the next round: Chelsea away.Footballers fall into two categories: artists or assassins. Soon Charlie is going to find out which players can deliver - and just how much pressure they can all stand.Meanwhile, as the country prepares for a general election, one of the most dangerous political assassinations in the IRA's history is being planned in London. An active service unit await the critical signal to proceed...Both sides will converge on the capital for a result that will shake everyone's lives, with consequences far beyond football.
The second volume of Campbell's riveting diaries, rejoining New Labor as they come into power. Power and the People i s the second of four volumes, and covers the first two years of New Labor government, beginning with their victory at the polls in 1997. Volume Two details the initial challenges faced by Labor as they come to power and settle into running the country. It covers many of the memorable events of the from the Omagh bombing to President Clinton's 'relations' with Monica Lewinsky.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.1 ⭐
THE empowering intro to politics that EVERY young person needs right now from writer, podcaster and strategist ALASTAIR CAMPBELL.Politics made fun? YES, REALLY!Writer, podcaster and strategist, Alastair Campbell, makes politics exciting, relatable and personal – AT LAST!Alastair shares his incredible knowledge and passion to empower young people and give them the skills and confidence they need to understand how the country is run, how they can get involved, encourage them to have a view, or take a stand, give them tips about how to debate, and so much more!EVERYONE should have a copy of this brilliant guide to understanding the world of politics, which is bursting with Q&As, quizzes, tips, challenges and interviews.Also available in the • Deborah Meaden Talks Money – 978-0008651527
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.4 ⭐
The third volume of Campbell's compelling diaries, covering 1999 to 2001. Life continues apace for Campbell and the New Labour government. Alongside the day-to-day running of the country, they deal with the fallout from the military action in Kosovo, continuing negotiations over Northern Ireland, and the increasing pressures which come from 24-hour media scrutiny. All this, and they wish to be elected for a second term... Explores New Labour's Special Relationship with Clinton and then George W. BushCovers a number of from Mandelson's dealings with the Hindujas, to the national embarrassment of the Millennium celebrationsA must-read for anyone interested in modern politics, and an essential history book for many years to come
The Burden of Power is the fourth volume of Alastair Campbell's diaries, and perhaps the most eagerly awaited given the ground it covers. It begins on September 12, 2001 as world leaders assess their response to Al Qaida terrorist attacks in New York and Washington the day before, a day which wrote itself immediately into the history 9/11, and it ends on the day Campbell leaves Downing Street. In between there are two wars, first Afghanistan, still going on today, and then, even more controversially, Iraq. It was the most difficult decision of Blair's premiership, and perhaps the most unpopular. Campbell describes in detail the discussions with President Bush and other world leaders as the steps to war are taken, and delivers an intimate account of Blair as war leader. He records the enormous political difficulties at home, and the sense of crisis that engulfed the government over the suicide of weapons inspector David Kelly. And in the meantime Blair continues to struggle with two issues that have run through all of the Campbell diaries in government—fighting for peace in Northern Ireland, and trying to make peace with Gordon Brown. And Campbell continues to struggle with trying to balance one of the most pressurised posts in politics with the needs of a family and a partner who wants him to leave it. The Burden of Power is as raw and intimate a portrayal of the pressures and responsibilities of political life as you are ever likely to read.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 3.7 ⭐
Light wear to the covers and one page has a folded corner. Shipped from the UK in recyclable card packaging.
THE ALL-NEW DIARIES Alastair Campbell's diaries have the quality of Pepys … people will be looking for insights and finding them in 100 years' time. Lord Alex Carlile Launched to a blaze of critical acclaim, Alastair Campbell's explosive diaries became an instant classic. Now, this eagerly anticipated new volume picks up where its predecessor left off, with Campbell standing down as Tony Blair's director of communications in 2003. Leaving Downing Street, however, isn't as easy as it seems, with Campbell persistently drawn back to the epicentre of power - often to the frustration of his partner, Fiona. As Lord Hutton prepares to publish his report, thus sparking a huge crisis for the BBC, any joy in No. 10 is dwarfed by continuing difficulties in Iraq. Meanwhile, the Blair/Brown relationship is fracturing almost beyond repair, and Campbell is tasked with devising a plan that will enable the two men to fight a united election campaign. At home, Campbell writes frankly of his continuing battles with mental health issues as he attempts to adapt to a new life beyond the confines of Westminster. Lifting the lid on the power battles at the heart of the Labour Party that sowed the seeds of today's turmoil, Outside, Inside is a vivid and compelling insight into modern political history, and a candid reflection on the personal impact of life in the corridors of power.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.2 ⭐
Caught in the no man's land between being a key figure in Downing Street and the relative anonymity of the world outside politics, Alastair Campbell finds himself being torn in several directions. Having succeeded Tony Blair as Prime Minister, Gordon Brown wants Campbell at his side. Campbell resists, flooding his reservoir of guilt as a general election looms and Brown's indecision and fluctuating moods suggest the Labour administration is seriously threatened by the Tory 'posh boy', David Cameron.Soon Campbell is earning not only praise but big money from motivational speaking and writing novels which darkly reflect the personal mood swings that continue to concern to both him and his family. Serious journalism across platforms old and new puts him back in the public eye and together with live appearances and a love of sport – his enduring love affair with Burnley Football Club still smoulders – sees him board a celebrity merry-go-round that often leaves him far from his comfort zone.With politics constantly tugging his sleeve, he eventually returns to the front line to marshal a party in disarray. The intensity of the months leading up to 6 May 2010 is as dramatic as any screenplay, with Campbell chronicling Brown's struggle to win over a disillusioned nation and then his dignified departure from the main stage. For Campbell, another chapter closes. So what next?
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
This latest volume of Campbell's acclaimed diaries sees the author, and the country, at a profound crossroads. Brown is finally gone, and Cameron is in the ascendancy – with a little help from the Liberal Democrats. Somehow Campbell must emerge from the ruins and grapple with his own future; just as Britain begins its own journey into austerity and, eventually, to Brexit. Volume 8 contains some of Campbell's most poignant and thought-provoking writing so far and is a must-read for fans of this most accomplished of political diarists.
One might have thought Alastair Campbell would disappear from view as Gordon Brown moved from No. 11 to No. 10. Far from it. Having negotiated the rapprochement which led to Brown taking a central role in the 2005 election win, Campbell then became central to the transition from one Prime Minister to another. Many books have already been written about Brown and Blair, but none with the intimacy and the unique perspective of Alastair Campbell. As this volume opens, Blair has just won a historic third term. But any joy is short-lived and he knows he is running out of road. By the time it ends two years later, Brown is Prime Minister. Campbell was virtually alone in seeing that process from both sides, as Brown began to lean on him almost as much as Blair had done. Meanwhile we continue to get an insight into Campbell's mental health struggles, his attempts to rebuild a normal family life, and the plethora of new challenges he takes on which introduce dozens of new characters, not least the rugby stars he worked with for the British and Irish Lions, and the football legend he has vowed to mention to someone every day for the rest of his life, charity match teammate, Diego Maradona.
The five volumes of journalist and political analyst Alastair Campbell's diaries were a publishing sensation. As British Prime Minister Tony Blair's right-hand man, Campbell played a critical role in every aspect of New Labour strategy. Charting the course of British government from July 1994 to august 2003, Campbell's relentlessly honest, often controversial, occasionally brutal and always razor-sharp commentary has drawn critical acclaim around the world. This one-volume edition focuses on Ireland and the Northern Irish peace process. From the high of the Good Friday agreement and devolution in Northern Ireland to the deadly lows of the Manchester and Omagh bombings, The Irish Diaries explores the tensions, all-night talks, adrenalin-fuelled negotiations and heady personality clashes that are such an intrinsic part of democratic politics. Newly annotated and fully revised by the author with fresh linking commentary, featuring commissioned material by key figures in the Irish peace process, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell himself, The Irish Diaries provides an invaluable historical record for future generations, both in Ireland and beyond.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 3.8 ⭐
The digital revolution has brought with it a dizzying multiplication of new styles and techniques in the field of graphic designnot to mention a whole new professional jargon. The Designer's Lexicon is the only cross-disciplinary technical dictionary that captures this rich and often confusing profusion of design-speak. It is packed with over 4000 terms that cover the broad spectrum of practices a modern designer must be familiar with: traditional graphics, pre-press, photography, printing, typography, and computers. Four hundred color diagrams and illustrations visually supplement the definitions. With a sturdy concealed spiral binding that reduces wear-and-tear, The Designer's Lexicon exemplifies the criterion designers seek most in a reference bookutility. For established professionals navigating new design terrain, as well as students, production managers, and printers, this is an essential dictionary for a new century.
One might have thought Alastair Campbell would disappear from view as Gordon Brown moved from No. 11 to No. 10. Far from it. Having negotiated the rapprochement which led to Brown taking a central role in the 2005 election win, Campbell then became central to the transition from one Prime Minister to another. Many books have already been written about Brown and Blair, but none with the intimacy and the unique perspective of Alastair Campbell. As this volume opens, Blair has just won a historic third term. But any joy is short-lived and he knows he is running out of road. By the time it ends two years later, Brown is Prime Minister. Campbell was virtually alone in seeing that process from both sides, as Brown began to lean on him almost as much as Blair had done. Meanwhile we continue to get an insight into Campbell's mental health struggles, his attempts to rebuild a normal family life, and the plethora of new challenges he takes on which introduce dozens of new characters, not least the rugby stars he worked with for the British and Irish Lions, and the football legend he has vowed to mention to someone every day for the rest of his life, charity match teammate, Diego Maradona.
Typography is the most ubiquitous of the graphic arts, with all of us now having access to innumerable fonts and the typographic tools that can, in the right hands, li any text from the mundane to the beautiful. Typography: Pocket Essentials opens with an overview of the history of the art, before going on to introduce the key principles and techniques of e ective typography. A full introduction to of the most useful and important fonts completes the book, allowing you to choose the right one every time. With this handy primer, anyone can master the basic principles of type layout and create pages that are easy on the eye and captivate the reader.
This publisher makes the best art study books! Semi-matte pages, with clear illustrations and explanations. Recommended.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.3 ⭐
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.3 ⭐
Become a little expert in how the country is run! Understand why politics matters and how you can get involved with ALASTAIR CAMPBELL – writer, podcaster and strategist best known for his work as former PM Tony Blair’s spokesman.What links schools, transport and hospitals? POLITICS! Discover how and why politics is part of everything we do with writer, podcaster and strategist ALASTAIR CAMPBELL. Who is in charge? How are decisions made? What can children do to get involved? Find out all this and more – alongside accessible introductions to parliament, government, voting and debating.Packed with fun, facts and challenges – perfect for readers aged 6 to 9.Welcome to LITTLE EXPERTS – inspiring the next generation of experts!• Written by expert authors, famous for their passion and expertise• Must-read introductions to key non-fiction topics with colour illustrations throughout• Created to empower and inspire!Also available in the Why Money Matters by DEBORAH MEADEN, entrepreneur, Dragons' Den investor and host of the BBC Radio 5 Live’s The Big Green Money Show podcast.Marvellous Vehicles by JAMES MAY, a writer and broadcaster who is best known for co-presenting Top Gear and The Grand Tour.Amazing Bodies and How to Save a Life by DR RONX, award-winning trans non-binary emergency doctor and TV presenter.How Families Are Made by DR AMIR KHAN, an award-winning full-time GP and resident doctor on Lorraine and Good Morning Britain.How to Build a Home by GEORGE CLARKE, an architect, writer, lecturer and TV presenter.Superhero Animals by CHRIS PACKHAM CBE, one of the UK’s leading naturalists and an award-winning conservationist, who began his TV career presenting children’s series The Really Wild Show.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.0 ⭐
Brought to you by Penguin.'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. It explains how we can develop our skills of advocacy and persuasion. It draws on Alastair's long experience to offer practical tips on putting together and leading a campaign team. It provides priceless 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 listening for anyone who wants to make a difference.
by Alastair Campbell
Rating: 4.0 ⭐
A comprehensive manual on the fundamentals of graphic design includes discussions of typesetting systems, photography, reproduction, and print production