Rowan Williams is right to speak out, and right on the substance. As I know from my time in government, Archbishops can provoke and anger from time to time, but why shouldn’t they? They are people in important positions of...
Read MoreThere was a fascinating discussion on Newsnight of the latest twist in the tale of David Cameron and the NHS last night. On one side of Jeremy Paxman sat Nick Clegg’s chief of staff, Norman Lamb, and a Tory MP I had never...
Read MoreI claim no special insight into, or influence over, George Osborne. It was interesting however to note that within a day or two of my suggesting here that he needed to step up the communication of his economic Plan A, our...
Read MoreYou can be fairly sure that if The Mail put me as a lead story online, it won’t be because they want me to appear all warm and cuddly. As my daughter has just told me, a 54-year-old former spin doctor getting into a bit of...
Read MoreThere is something to be said for George Osborne’s modus operandi – which is to set bold strokes, speak in public when he has to, but otherwise keep his head down. It is an approach, however, which suits itself...
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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.