Alastair Campbell
Alastair Campbell
Alastair John Campbellis a British journalist, broadcaster, political aide and author, best known for his work as Director of Communications and Strategy for prime minister Tony Blair between 1997 and 2003. He resigned in August 2003 during the Hutton Inquiry into the death of David Kelly...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionJournalist
Date of Birth25 May 1957
advanced almost computer decade entire faster further period technology tony worked
For the entire period I worked for Tony Blair, almost a decade, I did not use a computer. This was not any old decade of course, but the one in which computer technology advanced further and faster than during any period in our history.
continuing intensive parties round stage talking work
It is going to need a lot of continuing work talking to the parties before we can get to the stage of a new round of intensive negotiations.
blaming found hilarious media press second test
He found it hilarious that some of the press - the more one-eyed of the NZ media - were blaming me for the second Test defeat.
anxiety felt few included plenty points references relating specific training trigger urged whenever words
He included plenty of references of specific points of anxiety relating to the training and the day itself. And he put in a few specific trigger words or phrases that he urged me to say to myself whenever I felt I was weakening or panicking. The one that lodged was 'better, faster, stronger.
move time
time to move on and do other things.
royal reason decline
There are many reasons for the decline in royal esteem. One is that so many of the royals are thick.
liars paper telling-the-truth
For all that the papers would say I was a liar, I took the words I was saying at briefings as seriously as Tony Blair took what he would say at the Despatch Box. I find it very difficult not to tell the truth. I felt I was accountable for what I said.
medicine doctors media
The media are obsessed with spin doctors and with portraying them as a bad thing, yet seem addicted to our medicine.
royal causes mouths
The royal family's existence is a constant reminder of the hollowness of John Major's rhetoric, and idiotic statements by its leading members a constant boost to the republican cause. They're fine opening hospitals. It's when they open their mouths they get into trouble.
accepting crisis
Don't accept that you are in crisis just because everyone says you are.
tombstone flower long-ago
My closest friend, who died not long ago, is buried near Marx's grave in Highgate cemetery, so I see the gaggle of admirers laying roses at the foot of his tombstone regularly. I have never been tempted to leave flowers there myself. Great theories, shame about the practice. Marx did many things. But inventing class was not one of them.
election elections leader money next
There is going to have to be another leader in place when the next election comes and you would have to put your money on Gordon,
pressures
The pressures to get the story first, if wrong, are greater sometimes than the pressures to get the story right, if late.
coverage defined goes negativity politics shift
There has been a shift to what may be defined as a culture of negativity which goes well beyond coverage of politics.